Team Vitality presents the new players of its VALORANT team: Sayf, runneR and Kicks.
The leading esports club in France and Europe thus welcomes three recruits ranging from solid experience to promising talent. They will join ceNder and Destrian to start an explosive VCT 2024 season.
THREE NEW TALENTS JOIN TEAM VITALITY
Saif “Sayf” Jibraeel is a staple of the VALORANT scene. Winner of the European league VCT EMEA 2023 with Team Liquid, the Swede is considered one of the best players at the moment. His experience will be crucial for the team, both in in-game communication and in the development of young talents!
Emil “runneR” Trajkovski is a rookie with big ambitions. At 19 years old, the Macedonian duelist was named MVP of VALORANT Challengers 2023 East: Surge Split 2 with Diamant Esports. Boasting impressive individual skills, he must now prove his full potential within the major European league.
Kimmie “Kicks” Laasner is a young prodigy from Estonia. He has a great game vision. At 18 years old, his potential is no longer a debate after excellent seasons at bonk.
Sayf, runneR and Kicks thus join ceNder and Destrian on the roster. This year, Jokūbas “ceNder” Labutis will take the IGL (In-Game Leader) role. Having the most experience within the club, this leadership position naturally falls to him while Tomas “Destrian” Linikas also remains a pillar of the team. With their extensive experience in the French club and alongside the coaching staff, the two Lithuanians will be able to support the newcomers, especially during the most challenging moments of the season.
“We are building our team for the long term! We recruited two young players who have the potential to become among the very best in the world. We also have ceNder, new as IGL, and with the ability to take this roster very far.” explains Salah, the team's head coach. “I have never felt such chemistry in a team, there is a real family atmosphere between the youngest and the most experienced. Everyone gets along very well. In addition to our two prospects, the fact that a player like Sayf joins Destrian and ceNder allows us to be very competitive and adjust our margin of maneuver according to the development of our young players. Believe me, they really have the hunger. And with this team, the sky is the limit.”
Five quick questions for @DSajoof to get to know him 🐝 pic.twitter.com/Q1mRoODnN8
— Team Vitality 🐝 (@TeamVitality) September 29, 2023
TIME TO REBUILD, ALL TOGETHER
For this new season, Team Vitality is going for explosiveness. By forming this new roster, the club remains true to its desire to perform, while supporting new players to the highest level of competition.
The five players will continue to be trained from Team Vitality's premises in Berlin under the direction of coach Salah “Salah” Barakat, assistant coach Harry “Gorilla” Mepham, and analyst Joseph “Strong” Edwards. Finally, Robert Mulgan remains Team Manager, and Marcus Askildsen as Performance Manager, to support the players throughout the year.
Having the goal of qualifying for Champions, the team needed a fresh start to rebuild. Together, they will have the best training conditions with the aim of reaching their peak performance.
“This new team has incredible potential. And it is also up to us, as a club, to trigger the explosive dynamic that it is capable of bringing to the server. First, by well integrating our youngest players by relying on the experience of our more seasoned players and our staff. And second, by supporting and shaping ceNder's strategic vision of the game, in addition to Sayf's.” By taking on these two challenges, I think we can dream of reaching Champions by the end of the year.” declares Fabien “Neo” Devide, President of Team Vitality.