Team Liquid benches purp0, promotes GSR ahead of VALORANT Champions 2026

Just two weeks ahead of the VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - Champions Shanghai, Team Liquid has made an unexpected roster change, benching Seymon "purp0" Borchev and promoting Ognjen "GSR" Bondžić from the Team Liquid Academy. The team is confident that the young Serbian player can make a difference on the biggest stage of the competitive season.

TL benches purp0

Purp0 joined Team Liquid ahead of the 2026 season and has been a consistent part of the roster ever since, as the team highlighted in their X post. According to the organization, purp0 was a “rock” throughout the year, consistently putting the team first and embracing whatever role was needed.

Team Liquid also expressed its appreciation for everything he has done for the roster while welcoming GSR to the main team.

Just one month after turning 18, GSR is set to make his Tier-1 debut at the most prestigious event of the season set to take place in Shanghai, China. Meanwhile, purp0 will move to the bench, with his future on the team yet to be decided.

Team Liquid's first match at VALORANT Champions 2026 will be against Paper Rex.

Who is GSR?

GSR is an 18-year-old Serbian player who joined Team Liquid Academy at the beginning of 2025. Since then, he has established himself as a consistent Duelist throughout the season. In 2025, he won the VCL 2025 - NORTH//EAST: Stage 1 and helped lead the team to a runner-up finish at the VCL 2025 - NORTH//EAST: Stage 3, where they fell to Enterprise Esports.

In 2026, the Academy team secured two second-place finishes, both coming against Enterprise Esports in Stage 1 and Stage 2. The latest stage of the year was not their strongest, however, leading the squad to finish the season without a single title.

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Featured Image by Team Liquid