Second place at BLAST Slam VII, PlayTime, and qualification for The International 2026—highlights from the ALL CHAT #33 podcast
LGD Gaming players Yuma “Yuma” Langle and Mateusz “KJ” Santos Jungler Deniz discussed the team’s tournament performance, the competitive mindset in South and North America, and shared their expectations for the upcoming The International 2026 on the ALL CHAT podcast. Here’s a quick rundown of the highlights in our article.
On the Rivalry with PlayTime and Qualifiers for The International 2026
Yuma noted that matches against PlayTime have always been more of a mental battle, and when LGD Gaming is in top form, they leave their opponents virtually no chance. According to KJ, the team’s confidence in winning the qualifiers was bolstered by their excellent preparation, coupled with a decline in their opponents’ competitive form. Speaking about the TI 2026 qualifier final, Langle emphasized that the team didn’t “figure out” their opponent, but simply followed their own game plan to the letter.
On the BLAST Slam VII Final
When discussing LGD Gaming’s second-place finish at BLAST Slam VII, the players attributed their success to the fact that, for the first time in a year, they had enough time for a full-fledged joint training camp. However, in the final against Team Yandex, according to Mateusz, the team faced a mental block and overcomplicated their drafts, straying from their usual style. Yuma added that Team Yandex is currently the most challenging opponent for the team.
On Mentality in Different Regions and Teammates
Yuma explained that in South American teams, pro players are completely focused on Dota 2 and rarely spend time together outside of the game, whereas in the North American region, the atmosphere was more friendly. He also singled out Santiago Gustavo “TaiLung” Olivares Agüero, describing him as mature in the game but a total kid in everyday life. For his part, Diniz noted the incredible tenacity of Thiago “Thiolicor” de Oliveira Cordeira, who continued to improve and didn’t give up even after a string of setbacks in his career.
On the pressure at The International and the significance of the year’s biggest tournament
Yuma admitted that at The International, many esports players compete with paralyzing fear, while his ability to tune out others’ expectations helps him perform at his best. Both players agreed that TI is the ultimate career goal. KJ emphasized that this tournament makes all the effort worthwhile, while Yuma called winning the championship trophy in front of a live crowd of fans his biggest dream.
Read also:
- KJ on The International 2026 qualifiers: “We’d have to make a really big mistake to lose” (first part of the podcast).
- Yuma on LGD Gaming’s drafts: “Right now, we’re playing to our strengths more than ever” (second part of the podcast).
- Yuma on the mentalities of different regions: “South American teams are the best in this regard” (third part of the podcast).
- Yuma: “We’ve now developed that sense of true belief in each other’s potential. It helps a lot” (fourth part of the podcast).
Earlier, LGD Gaming secured South America’s sole spot at The International 2026. The tournament itself will take place in Shanghai from August 13 to 23, with an initial prize pool of $1.6 million. The team will also compete in the 2026 Esports World Cup for Dota 2.
