LOUD have made VALORANT Champions history, defeating Team Vitality in the grand final to become the first organization to win the trophy twice. As Sheep Esports reported, the Brazilians claimed their second title after a 2022 triumph, and this final opened with a comeback that looked anything but routine: LOUD overturned a 9-3 halftime deficit on Summit to win 13-11.
The best-of-five ended 3-1. Vitality levelled the series with a 13-8 win on Lotus, but LOUD then took Sunset 13-5 and Haven 13-10 to finish the job. That result caps a remarkable turnaround for a side that had finished last at VCT Americas Kickoff 2026 and arrived at Champions as the region’s second seed.
Summit comeback set the tone for LOUD
Vitality had beaten LOUD in their group-stage meeting, so the final also settled a rivalry that had already produced a playoff rematch. LOUD won the upper-bracket final before meeting Vitality again for the trophy, turning a group-stage loss into a championship-winning answer.
Summit was the swing point. Down by six at the break, LOUD found their footing on defence and fought back to close out the map 13-11; Roberto “erde” Lobos landed the triple kill that sealed it. Vitality responded on Lotus, but LOUD’s wins on Sunset and Haven left no opening for another French comeback.
| Map | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Summit | LOUD | 13-11 |
| Lotus | Team Vitality | 13-8 |
| Sunset | LOUD | 13-5 |
| Haven | LOUD | 13-10 |
erde and tkzin deliver on the biggest stage
Enzo “tkzin” Zimiani topped the series with 77 kills, making his Neon a constant problem for Vitality and adding another ace during the competition. The 18-year-old erde finished with 66 kills, led LOUD’s in-game calls and was named Champions MVP. His triple kill on Summit gave the comeback its closing punctuation.
The MVP award came amid a deeply personal tournament for erde: he had learned of his mother’s passing days before competition began. The milestone is worth reporting with care, not turning into a convenient plot device; his contribution was clear in both the final’s defining rounds and the calls that guided LOUD through the series.
A new benchmark for the Americas
Every player on this LOUD roster was winning an international tournament for the first time. The lineup was built around four rookies and one player with just a year of Tier 1 experience, making the title a striking achievement for a group that had not previously played together on an international stage.
The win also extends the Americas’ run at the top: the region had claimed the last three international titles, including the Esports World Cup. Champions marked the end of VALORANT’s first partnership-programme era, bringing the competition to a close where LOUD’s own title story began. The next chapter for this roster is uncertain, but the record is already theirs.
