XLG Esports has a problem that no amount of aim training can fix. The Chinese VALORANT squad performs well in scrims against top competition, but translating that into results on the international stage requires something less tangible: genuine self-belief.
That’s the assessment from Aleksandr ‘hvoya’ Eremin, the team’s Russian head coach, who says the squad needs to improve their international mindset and start trusting what they’re capable of. With VALORANT Masters London scheduled for June 6-21, 2026, the clock is ticking on a mental reset.
The scrim-to-stage gap
For XLG, the disconnect between practice and performance appears to be rooted in psychology rather than mechanics. Hvoya has been vocal about the need for his players to believe in themselves, pointing to their scrim results as evidence that the skill ceiling is already there.
From Tier 2 to the VCT
