Team Liquid Brazil wins the Game Changers Championship, taking down Shopify Rebellion Gold 3-2
Zahk
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The grand final of the VCT Game Changers Championship Seoul 2025 delivered everything fans had hoped for, with a rematch rich with history, heartbreak, and redemption. Shopify Rebellion Gold and Team Liquid Brazil had met earlier this week in the upper bracket final, where TL handed SRG their first-ever LAN loss. But this matchup carried far deeper narrative weight: it was also a repeat of the legendary GCC 2023 grand final, where SRG had edged out TL in a five-map epic and crushed their title hopes.
For TL and their veteran IGL daiki, this wasn’t simply about revenge. It was about finally completing a three-year-long arc of improving and refusing to let heartbreak define them. Their biggest offseason gamble — trading bstrdd for Jelly in June — was made with the ultimate goal in mind: winning a world championship.
With TL holding the double map ban advantage from the upper bracket, they struck out Corrode and Abyss, forcing SRG into an uncomfortable map pool, and most importantly, ensuring SRG would have to play Bind, their permaban throughout 2025. What followed was a grand final worthy of the rivalry.
Image credit: Riot Games
Haven: SRG Grind Out a Tight Opener 13-11
Haven kicked off the series, chosen by TL. SRG stuck to their defensive KJ/Omen/Viper setup, while TL opted for a double-initiator comp built around Breach and Sova. Liquid began on defense and immediately set the tone by winning the pistol and building a 3-1 start. SRG’s late-half executes, however, were crisp and coordinated, keeping them within reach as TL closed the half with a narrow 7-5 lead.
Once sides swapped, the momentum flipped. SRG won three straight rounds to snatch the lead, and from there the map became a back-and-forth slugfest. Liquid found impact plays, but SRG’s mid-round calling and post-plant discipline carried them through the closing stretch, securing a 13-11 victory.
Sarah earned map MVP with a 219 ACS on Sova, though the scoreboard reflected just how closely matched both teams were right from the opener.
Pearl: TLV Steal the Second Map 13-11 After a Late Surge
SRG then moved to their pick of Pearl, a map that had historically served them well and had been instrumental in their runs in both GC and tier two NA. TL once again took the pistol and antieco on attack, but SRG responded immediately once rifles came out, taking three straight rounds. The rest of the half played out in tight trades, neither team allowing the other to slip away, and it ended 6-6.
Image credit: Riot Games
On defense after the break, TL struggled to contain SRG’s explosive mid-round pacing, falling behind 10-7. But as Liquid have done all season, they rallied at exactly the right moment. Joojina became the key difference-maker, combining sharp trading with impeccable spacing as she consistently took map control, allowing TL to string together a crucial four-round run. From 9-11, TL climbed all the way to a 13-11 win, evening the series.
Both joojina and bizerra were standouts for Liquid, combining for 41 kills and four opening picks.
Bind: TLV Turn a 3-9 Half Into a Stunning 13-10 Comeback
With SRG forced onto Bind: their permanent ban, unplayed since October 2024 until today, Liquid finally gained a strategic edge. But surprisingly, SRG came prepared. They won the pistol and even after TL briefly took a 3-2 lead, SRG detonated with a massive seven-round streak to claim a 9-3 attacking half. Their spacing, utility layering, and site hits were immaculate.
But Bind’s second half belonged entirely to TL. Liquid transformed on defense, led by Jelly’s oppressive Outlaw/Operator pressure and the impeccable trading trio of Issa, bizerra, and Jelly. TL won 10 of the next 11 rounds, completely suffocating SRG’s ability to take control. With five of her seven opening kills coming on defense, Jelly was the anchor that made the comeback possible, and TL closed Bind 13-10 to move ahead in the series.
Sunset: SRG Strike Back 13-6 to Force the Decider
Down 2-1, SRG needed a response, and they delivered on Sunset, a map where they had previously overwhelmed Karmine Corp but had been handled decisively by Liquid in the upper bracket. Clearly, they had addressed their mistakes.
Image credit: Riot Games
Starting on defense, SRG blasted out to a 4-0 start before TL recovered with four rounds of their own. But SRG once again surged ahead, finishing the half 8-4. Liquid never found their footing on attack, in part because SRG controlled the pace from both macro and micro angles, winning both pistols and shutting down TL’s space with suffocating precision.
Noia and dodonut were unstoppable. Noia’s Chamber found seven first kills, while dodonut’s Neon pressure constantly fractured TL’s setups. SRG cruised to a 13-6 win, tying the series 2-2 and sending the grand final to Split, a perfect final map for two teams with years of rivalry between them.
Split: TLV Close Out 13-8 to Lift Their First World Championship
Everything came down to Split, and TLV started on defense with confidence and clarity. They jumped to a 5-1 lead, leveraging Issa and bizerra to consistently win early fights. SRG’s timeout helped: Shopify clawed back to 5-4, but Liquid steadied the ship to take a 7-5 lead into halftime.
Image credit: Riot Games
TL then won the second-half pistol, extending their advantage to 9-5. SRG fought back with three clean rounds to narrow the gap to 9-8, but this was where Liquid’s stars took over. The trio of bizerra, jelly, and Issa delivered in the biggest moments, dominating the late rounds and dismantling SRG’s attacking plans. TL won four rounds straight to close Split 13-8, taking the series 3-2 and finally claiming their long-awaited title.
Daiki, at Last, Reaches the Summit – Game Changers Championship MVP
Across the event, and especially across the final map, daiki showcased tremendous form, both as a fragger and as an IGL whose leadership and composure set the tone for TL’s entire run. Her consistency, discipline, and confidence anchored the team at every stage of the tournament.
She was rightfully named tournament MVP, a crowning achievement after years of heartbreak. From finishing 3rd in 2022, to 2nd in 2023, to missing the 2024 championship entirely, to now lifting the trophy: her story is one of the most meaningful arcs in Game Changers history. “To be honest, I didn’t even know the map was over until after we won,” daiki said after the match. “I just kept focusing on round after round on Split.”
Both teams embraced after the match, a moment that reflected not only mutual respect but the genuine quality of play on display. This grand final is already being called the best in GCC history.
For SRG, despite falling short, their year remains extraordinary. No team in the field played more matches across both Challengers and Game Changers, and their consistency, adaptability, and resilience again cemented them as one of the most formidable teams in the world. Now they head into a well-earned offseason. For TL, history has been made: the first Brazilian team to lift the Game Changers Championship trophy, and a redemption story completed in unforgettable fashion.
Zahk plays and watches a lot of video games, especially Valorant, when she’s home, and travels the world the rest of the time, usually a book in hand. She loves telling stories, coffee, and living life like an adventure.
