MKOI Alvaro: “I’m a bit surprised that Asian teams sometimes give up in scrims, [it] gives us a mental advantage”

After a very convincing performance from him, we spoke with MKOI Alvaro at the end of the series against BiliBili Gaming (BLG) in the upper bracket of the MSI 2025 Playoffs.

MKOI Alvaro – Stabilizing the early game will be key

Nick: I just talked to Supa, and he said that it felt like you guys could win game 1 and 3 at points, even though you were behind. In Game 2 and Game 4, you really understood your comp, you were able to execute on it, but you f****d up a couple times and BLG punished for it.

How do you view the series? What are the takeaways and what are the things that you can improve on for the lower bracket?

Alvaro: I think it’s so that we are training the resilience in scrims. We never give up.

Something that I’m a bit surprised that Asian teams sometimes give up in scrims, which I think gives us a mental advantage because you know, if they are giving up, that means that they’re probably not having a great time. But I mean, we were already used to it, we already had the bad games in scrims. So coming today, I mean, the first game, I think it was a bit harder, but at one point it was actually winnable, when we almost got the Drake, but we lost 3v5.

Then the second game was fine. Then the third game, I mean, we were pretty calm, but at one point when we did the Nashor we I think we got too excited and we tried to go for the mid tower instead of the Drake, and since they had a comp that needs to win early because they were like at least like the draft was basically made for early and they could stack drakes. And when we lost that Drake with Infernal soul, it became really hard to fight. And then I don’t know, like the last game. I mean, I’m already remembering, you know, I remember everything. It was so sad, but [it] happens, and we will beat them next time.

Nick: Bro, you were popping off in several of those games. How do you feel about your performance? Backstage, we were really impressed at a lot of points with just your positioning, your awareness and your ability to find a lot of picks that BLG wasn’t expecting.

Alvaro: I would say it’s my biggest quality. I would say they are still a bit smarter than me about the game.

I think ON is a really good support, but I wanted to get advantage of what I am better at and, for example, engage, you know, finding these details. I will say this series was good. I think I can show up even more. I think from the scrims I could even see it as well.

I think for me how we need to prepare into, for example, Chinese teams, they played really aggressive from early games. So I think if we can stabilise the early game, because today it was a bit hard, it was a bit rough. So if we can stabilise from there, I think we have a really big chance into them.

Nick: We will now stop talking about pro play. So the thing I’ve been talking about with your teammates that’s been funny is that Myrwn is a huge PvE lover. He loves Swarm, he loves Odyssey. And it turns out that last year, when Swarm came out, he said I just didn’t play any soloQ. I brought that up to Supa, and Supa was saying that he loves Odyssey.

Are you a fan of PvE game modes? Is MKOI just a group of people who absolutely adore the PvE modes? And then, which is your favourite out of Odyssey, Swarm, and Star Guardian Invasion.

Alvaro:  Yeah, I would say, Odyssey is the most fun because it was the one that I actually tryhard the most. And I remember I have the icon of the hardest mode. I remember that there were sometimes a combo of full Yasuos. That game, well, I wish they could bring it back because I think it was the best, it was the most fun. We have Myrwn and Jojopyun, they don’t play much soloQ, so if they can find an excuse and play something else, you know.

Nick: Supa was saying that Myrwn was like messaging you guys, being like ‘this thing is OP on Swarm. You should build this in Swarm.’

Alvaro: And Jojopyun plays ARAM. He’s an ARAM player.

Nick: So what I’m hearing is that in order to win LEC, you need to play all of the modes that aren’t Summoner’s Rift.

Now that Brawl is out, do you think you guys have a new game mode that isn’t Summoner’s Rift, you’ll get even better next split?

Alvaro: I mean, let’s see, because we have some specialised already. I remember Myrwn in Arena, they are too crazy like that, they always know everything. And when I play I feel like a noob, you know? I’m just playing SoloQ every time. Can you imagine we are playing in our room in the hotel, Melzhet (MKOI head coach) is playing with Zeph (assistant coach), and they need to face Elyoya-Myrwn, and they know every single technique or trick, and they can never beat them. They get so angry, which is funny, you know.

Nick: So the next question also has nothing to do with pro play. Have you seen Arcane?

Alvaro: I have seen the first season and three episodes of the second one, but I dropped it, yeah.

Nick: Riot has said there will be another show. It might be Noxus, but nothing’s been announced. Let’s say that Riot came to you and was like, ‘Alvaro, we’re out of ideas. You have to decide who the next season focuses on, what region of the world gets the next show.’

Who do you want to see get a two-season animated show, and who would you like to see it focus on?

Alvaro: So I don’t know much about lore, [but] I think I will say Freljord. I think they have the best team. I really like the champions. And I’m also the kind of person that looks cold and everything. So I will say Freljord looks cool. And I would say the one that it’s Pyke. (Bilgewater). That one, I think that would be really cool.

Nick: Next question, equally nonsense as the last one. Riot’s been doing these themed seasons where Summoners Rift gets a new look that sort of matches the season. We did Noxus, we did Ionia.

If you have to choose the look for Summoners Rift and the theme for all the skins and stuff, what do you think would be like a cool vibe for a season?

Alvaro: I mean, I think after Worlds, the cool vibe would be whoever won Worlds. I think that will be cool. The best skin lines that I enjoy the most are IG in this game. Every skin, so I think that will be cool. But then during the season, I mean it will be hard, but if I need to, High Noon, I like a lot. But, for example, when it comes to Halloween, I think they could do the theme of the skins, the Fright Night ones. I think they could make it work, but I think some people also don’t like it, so if they can turn it off… It gives us a fresh look to the Rift. It’s not the same all the time. I mean, the spirit blossom also looks good.

Nick: MKOI fans have been loving, just like hearing about what you guys do outside of the game.

Myrwn was saying he’s been getting into Magic: The Gathering. Are you playing other games on the side?

Alvaro: I collect Pokémon cards, but I don’t play it.

Nick: What’s your favourite Pokémon card that you’ve got?

Alvaro: I mean my favourite card. I think the favourite design is Zeraora. There is a full art, I don’t know from which pack I got it. The problem is I have it in German so but the name is the same, but I have two Bubble Mew, which is like a good card. I’m trying to get more into it. I have a Dragonite from Jungle, but it’s yeah, I mean I’m getting into it. I also play other videogames. I like CS:GO, I like VALORANT. Those two and collecting cards are my biggest [games] right now.

Nick: Before we wrap up, is there anything to say to the MKOI fans, because I can attest these guys are crazy passionate. They’ve been super positive and have been just cheering you guys on really hard.

Anything to say to the people posting walls of Purple Hearts on every post that you guys are in?

Alvaro: I really like that passion because I think it also it’s the passion that we actually have for this video game. So having fans that can be even supporting in the bad moments. Now I lost 1-3, but I’m already thinking about how I want to prepare for the next series. So thanks to everyone for the support. As I always say, keep supporting us, and we will try to make Europe proud, you know.