A few new Team Vitality Valorant players have been announced, and the team’s British-Turkish head coach says they have the potential to be among the world’s best.
Vitality have announced the latest additions to their Valorant VCT 2024 roster: Saif “Sayf” Jibraeel (Sweden, 22), Emil “runneR” Trajkovski (North Macedonia, 19) and Kimmie “Kicks” Laasner (Estonia, 18).
This trio joins forces with Team Vitality Valorant players Jokūbas “ceNder” Labutis (Lithuania, 21), who serves as the team’s in-game leader, and Tomas “Destrian” Linikas (Lithuania, 24 according to HLTV).
Vitality has a UK coaching core. All five Team Vitality Valorant players will continue to be trained at Team Vitality’s Berlin facility, with the goal of qualifying for Champions, under the direction of head coach Salah “Salah” Barakat (British-Turkish), assistant coach Harry “Gorilla” Mepham (British), and analyst Joseph “Strong” Edwards (British). Finally, Robert Mulgan (British) remains the Team Manager to support the players throughout the year.
Vitality on new Valorant players
Vitality say Emil “runneR” Trajkovski, a 19-year-old Macedonian duellist, is ‘one of the most promising wonderkids in Europe’.
He secured the title of MVP at Valorant Challengers 2023 East: Surge Split 2 while playing for Diamant Esports.
“Possessing remarkable individual skills, he now faces the challenge of demonstrating his full potential in the highly competitive European league,” Vitality said in a press release.
The org describe Saif “Sayf” Jibraeel as a ‘dynamic duellist and an iconic figure in the Valorant scene, having won the VCT EMEA 2023 European league with Team Liquid‘.
“The Swedish sensation is widely recognised as one of the game’s top-tier players. His wealth of experience is poised to play a pivotal role within the team, contributing to in-game communication and the nurturing and development of young talent,” Vitality added.
A rising talent hailing from Estonia, Kimmie “Kicks” Laasner ‘stands as a young prodigy in the world of esports’ say Vitality, as one of three new Team Vitality Valorant players.
“With a remarkable game sense, this 18-year-old sensation has put any doubts about his potential to rest following his impressive seasons with Team Bonk, where he boasts a first blood success rate of 49%,” Vitality stated.
‘Believe me, they really have the ability’ – Coach Salah on new Team Vitality Valorant players
“We think about our team in the long term, that’s our priority. On the one hand, we have recruited two young players who have the potential to become among the best in the world. And on the other hand, we have ceNder new as IGL, and with the capacity to take this roster very far,” explained Salah “Salah” Barakat, Head Coach of the team, on the new Team Vitality Valorant players.
“I have never felt such chemistry in a team, there is a real family atmosphere between the youngest and the most experienced. Everyone gets along very well.
“The fact that a player like Sayf joins Destrian and ceNder, as well as our two young prospects, allows us to have a strong competitive spirit and great room for flexibility depending on the development of our young people.
“Believe me, they really have the ability; with this team, the sky is the limit.”
Fabien “Neo” Devide, President of Team Vitality, added on the new Team Vitality Valorant players: “This new team has incredible potential. And it is also up to us, as a club, to trigger the explosive dynamic that it is capable of instilling on the server.
“First, integrate our youngest players well by relying on the experience of our more seasoned players and our staff. And secondly, by supporting and shaping ceNder’s strategic vision of the game, complementing that of Sayf.
“By meeting these two challenges, I think we can dream of reaching the Champions by the end of the year.”
Related article: Caedrel reveals what stopped him from becoming a LoL coach for Vitality
Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.
