NRG's Ethan 'Ethan' Arnold aims for history as VALORANT Champions 2025 kicks off

The in-game leader (IGL) is one of three players at Champions who were part of Evil Geniuses' 2023 championship-winning roster. He earned a spot at the year's biggest global event after NRG's surprising second-place finish in VCT Americas Stage 2.

Now, the VCT veteran has a chance to claim his second Champions trophy.

"The only thing that can top a Champs win is doing it twice, so that's the goal," said the 2023 champion.

Meanwhile, some of VCT's biggest names, Fnatic and Sentinels, are chasing a third international trophy.

Back in 2023, the Evil Geniuses roster was headed to their first Champions tournament after a crushing 0-3 loss to Fnatic at Masters Tokyo.

Two years on, Ethan returns to VALORANT's premier stage riding a standout performance in Stage 2 that few NRG fans expected. Their run was only halted in the Grand Final by G2 (1-3).

Ethan credits both organisations with shaping his development as a player, particularly in his current IGL role.

"I think I took a lot from the EG team and from my previous players on NRG also. I've played with a lot of different IGLs. I've learned a lot, and I kinda try to factor everything into my own gameplay and make a different spin on it," he added.

When asked whether NRG's first Champions appearance since 2023 added extra pressure, Ethan responded: "I don't think it adds any pressure that wasn't already there. I think we completed our goal in qualifying for Champs. That was our first goal, and now, we're just playing it match by match.

"I think being somewhat of an underdog helps for your mental, going into a tournament like this with such stacked teams."