TLV daiki: “Before I started to play in Valorant, FalleN helped me a lot in CS”

Fresh off a fiery, momentum-shifting win over G2 at the VALORANT Game Changers Championship 2025 in Seoul, Team Liquid’s daiki joined Hotspawn to talk through her path from CS prodigy to GC veteran, her evolution as a leader, and why she feels this is finally the year TLV lifts the trophy.

Hotspawn: Was Valorant your first esport title?

Did you play many games competitively before this?

Daiki: I played a lot of CS when I was younger. Like a lot. I had like 6,000 hours, So I was good. But I was like 15, and I couldn’t play in any team. No one tried to test me or try out any team. So when Valorant released, I refused to play in the beginning because I was a CS player. But they invited me to play some tournaments and I was pretty good too. I literally just played with Reyna every match in the tournament, and I killed like 30 every match.

So then bstrdd invited me to the team and it was the beginning. I chose Valorant because I always tried to be good and to improve in CS, and I couldn’t. Like nothing could help me become a pro player. In Valorant, it was easier. And in the first matches I played, they were already paying attention to me. It was very important. So I think that’s it. It was my first professional team with bstrdd, drn, naxy, and nat1.

Hotspawn: Do you have a role model in esports?

Daiki: FalleN, of course. Before I started to play Valorant, he helped me a lot in CS. He created a project, the kids academy, to help kids improve in the game. He was teaching how to play, how to read the game, what is happening in the game. I was part of it. It was like two boys, and he needed a girl, and I was like 15. So I was a kid, and I was a girl, so it was the perfect match. And he helped me a lot. In the beginning I was sponsored by Fallen Store. So my first gaming years were from him.

He gave me the mousepad, the mouse. I never had something like that. It was very important to me. Many people paid attention to me in CS because of him… I also made a few trials, but they didn’t like how I played. So I stayed in Valorant.

And I also asked him what I should do, because I had an opportunity in Valorant and didn’t know what to do. He told me, ‘You can do it, you can go to Valorant. It’s a good game and it will grow.’ And naxy helped me too.

Hotspawn: TL kept its core but added two new players in June.

As the longest-standing member and IGL, how do you help new players acclimate?

Daiki: In the beginning it was very hard for me to make changes. Maybe because my first team, when I decided to kick out the girls, it was very tough. And when we decided to kick out bstrdd, it was very hard because I am not used to changes. But sometimes it’s necessary.

I think it was good for us and I’m learning a lot. Sometimes you need to change, sometimes you need to improve who is here. I am improving every day as a teammate, as a leader, as an IGL.

Hotspawn: You’ve been here since 2022, three GCCs, always a top-three run.

Which has been your favorite?

Daiki: 2023, because I went to Grand Finals. But I’m feeling different this year. Like I will go to Grand Finals again and maybe I will lift this trophy. I’m very confident.

Hotspawn: I mean, it’s been third, second… the curse.

Daiki: I am a very superstitious person. In 2022 we came third, 2023 second. This time, I pray to God we come first. In the last GCCs I was confident too, but this time will be different because I already had the third and second. There is only first left.

Hotspawn: What is your biggest personal goal as a player?

Daiki: I really want to play in a mixed team, like in Challengers or even in VCT. It’s my dream as a player. I want to win GCC, but a professional goal is to play those tournaments.

Hotspawn: How have you changed as a leader from 2022 to now?

Daiki: I grew up as a leader. I was just a child when I played the first GCC. I was 18, super young and innocent. Now I’m very confident and I know my team trusts me as an IGL and as a leader. It’s very important to me.

Hotspawn: How do you build trust with new players?

Daiki: I really try to help, and I am always open to help with everything. Everyone can trust me, even with personal issues. It’s the best way to become a good leader, by having the trust of your team.”

Hotspawn: Upper final, who do you want to face: KC or SRG?

Any preference?

Daiki: I don’t care. But maybe revenge against Shopify would be cool.

Hotspawn: In the lower bracket, your fellow Brazilians MIBR are fighting through. How do you think they’ll do?

Daiki: I really hope they do it because in my Pick’Ems I chose them in the grand finals. I’m cheering for them. I know they can do it.

Hotspawn: And also, I guess you want to beat them, they’re your only loss this year.

Daiki: Yes, it was tough. But I think we are better as a team. But they are really good.

INSANE 1V3 TO WIN THE SERIES BY @daikifps! #VCTGameChangers pic.twitter.com/LY9JkzEr5B

— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) November 26, 2025

Hotspawn: Last round: the 1v3.

What was going through your head?

Daiki: I was thinking, ‘Oh my God, we had the first kill and we lost.’ It happened many times in the game. So I was thinking, ‘Oh my God, I need to fix it in the next round on attacking side.’ Then I killed one and I was [thinking], ‘Oh my God, I can win.’ And I looked up and I didn’t have time to go A. ‘Oh my God, I have to stay here and plant.’ And then I killed the two.

Hotspawn: Out of the Viper’s Pit, too.

Daiki: It was kind of easy to play, but I wasn’t expecting it. I was thinking many things… but that’s okay.

Hotspawn: When things go wrong, like that second map, how do you reset the team?

Daiki: We need to hype each other up. When s**t happens, we need it. On stage we also need hype. That’s why I’m always standing up and screaming to the other team, because we are a team that needs the hype.

So when we lost we were like, ‘Come on guys, we can do it. Don’t be sad. It isn’t over. Go up, go up. Go, go, go.’ And we keep it up.