Final weekend, VALORANT esports veteran Enzo ‘Enzo’ Mestari fell in need of profitable VCT Ascension EMEA for a second time.
Because the in-game chief (IGL) for Obligatory, Enzo led his group by a 12 months of Challengers competitors and the stacked Ascension bracket. Nonetheless, simply earlier than the end line, it was ULF Esports that secured VCT promotion by defeating the French organisation 3-0 within the Ultimate.
Regardless of the loss, Enzo seemed fondly upon his 12 months with Obligatory and the way far the group had come.
“We went to the finals. We reached our targets. It’s simply that one remaining step. Yeah, I believe we might be happy with what we’ve achieved,” shared the participant in an interview with Esports Insider.
Beginning as an expert Counter-Strike participant, Enzo made the change to VALORANT esports in early 2020. Since then, he has performed for a myriad of tier-one and tier-two organisations in EMEA, together with Ninjas in Pyjamas and Workforce Liquid.
Enzo was additionally a part of Fnatic’s 2022 roster, throughout which the participant competed at Masters Reykjavík, Masters Copenhagen and VALORANT Champions.
His first Ascension run was with Apeks in 2023. Much like this 12 months’s conclusion, Apeks suffered a 0-3 defeat within the Grand Ultimate, leading to Light Mates’ Ascension as a substitute.
Obligatory’s Journey By Challengers 2025
Enzo signed with Obligatory forward of this 12 months’s Challengers season, along with duelist participant Wassim ‘keloqz’ Cista and smokes professional Michael ‘mikee’ Lim. The three newcomers joined 2024 signing Clément ‘CyvOph’ Millard in addition to veteran member Damien ‘HyP‘ Souville.
“I used to be recruited into this group with the purpose to get to Ascension and have an opportunity to qualify for VCT, and I believe they selected the proper particular person as a result of we ultimately obtained to the ultimate when no one actually anticipated us to take action,” defined Enzo.
Kicking off the 12 months robust, Obligatory positioned second within the French Challengers circuit and third within the following EMEA Stage 1 occasion. The primary hurdle got here with CyvOph’s departure to VCT’s Workforce Vitality. Jonathan ‘TakaS’ Paupard was signed as a alternative, however the brand new roster couldn’t qualify for EMEA Stage 2.
Nonetheless, for the ultimate chapter of the 2025 Challengers season, Obligatory bounced again to safe second place within the French Revolution sequence and third place in Challengers EMEA as soon as extra.
Obligatory’s consistency was rewarded with a qualification to Ascension EMEA 2025 by way of Ascension Factors. With each earlier Ascension groups, Light Mates and Apeks, relegated to the 2026 Challengers circuit, this 12 months’s Ascension event supplied two VCT promotion slots for collaborating tier two groups.
In line with Enzo, the group made important enhancements all year long, each on the macro degree and in particular person ability.
“What I believe I introduced probably the most is the fundamentals, the basics. And so long as you observe these fundamentals very well, then abruptly your efficiency goes up actually excessive…” added the IGL.
“…while you’re an IGL, you have got a imaginative and prescient about the right way to play the sport, and I simply shared that imaginative and prescient and we adopted. And we made certain that each single day we work on that […] and it went fairly properly. I believe all people improved within the group. Each single participant improved this 12 months loads.”
Defying Expectations But Falling In need of the Crown
Heading into Ascension 2025, Obligatory needed to show itself versus Group B opponents BBL PCIFC, Twisted Minds and FOKUS. Making issues worse, the French roster misplaced its opening match towards Twisted Minds 0-2.
Nonetheless, Obligatory eradicated German group FOKUS (2-0) and took revenge towards Twisted Minds with a dominant 2-0 assertion.
Group A’s ULF Esports was the ultimate hurdle to beat on the trail to VCT 2026. However similar to within the EMEA Stage 3 Decrease Bracket Ultimate, Obligatory couldn’t win a single map towards the Turkish group.
“There are a really aggressive group. They’re all good gamers. I believe it’s as much as us to have the solutions to what they do and be as much as the duty when it comes to particular person ability. And I believe it was simply not the case as we speak,” mirrored Enzo on the match.
“All I do know is that generally on maps like Sundown we overplayed just a little bit after we had the higher hand. And that’s the one factor I keep in mind that’s perhaps in our palms to regulate. However aside from that, I believe the higher group gained.”
Enzo’s Phrases to the Followers & His Teammates
In the course of the post-match interview with Esports Insider, Enzo emphasised a number of instances how grateful he’s for his time with Obligatory and his teammates.
“I believe it’s a gaggle of pretty folks, pretty people – the membership, the gamers, everybody,” he mentioned. “I actually love them, and it’s simply unhappy to lose like this as a result of meaning almost definitely we don’t get an opportunity to play once more collectively.”
He additionally highlighted the timeless help from Obligatory followers and the way a lot their presence in the course of the Ultimate meant to him: ”It means every part. The world was on hearth. I imply all of the French followers got here right here.
“They got here right here from France, and so they made enormous noise within the area, and we might hear every part they mentioned. It was so good. And to me it means every part trigger that’s what you wanna do while you’re a participant. I wish to be on a stage once more, and have a crowd chanting, and really feel the depth of the sport, and have enjoyable within the sport. Truthfully, it means every part.”
Lastly, Enzo took the time to thank each single member of his group: “I’m so grateful to Damien (HyP) for being such an adaptive particular person and a really, very, very devoted particular person to what he does. He modified his position. He made an enormous effort, and he did every part he might to enhance his sport. I really like that.
“I’m so grateful to TakaS for being light-hearted. Once you’re subsequent to him, every part is very easy with him…He’s assured, he’s straightforward. Practising with him is sweet. He adapts to every part very well, too.
“I’m grateful to mikee, as properly, for simply being himself and being part of the group. We laughed a lot with him the entire 12 months. He’s such a great Omen, and he did every part he might to make everybody enhance with the instruments he had.
“I’m grateful to Wassim/keloqz for being an incredible duelist. Trigger I’m so happy with him. He improved a lot over the 12 months. I bear in mind initially of the 12 months, sure, he was performing some loopy errors and so forth. However it’s a part of what a participant has to do to evolve and to enhance. And he improved a lot over the 12 months. I’m so happy with him. Truthfully, I’m happy with everybody, like this group is wonderful.”
