100 Thieves are champions of the world. In a Paris grand final billed as a North American derby, the underdogs dismantled reigning Champions winners NRG 3-1 to lift their first-ever S-tier international Valorant trophy, capping an undefeated run through the event and banking $600,000 from the $2 million prize pool along with 1,000 Club Championship points. NRG, unable to recapture the form that made them world champions last October, leave with second place and $340,000, extending their title drought to a third straight international.
A Series That Refused to Stay Simple
100 Thieves looked set for a routine sweep after seizing the opening two maps. On NRG's own pick of Breeze, they raced to a 9-3 half and, powered by shot-caller Jordan "vora" Pulwer, closed it 13-7. Sunset told a near-identical story, another 9-3 lead built behind a monstrous Cypher performance from finals MVP Matthew "Cryocells" Panganiban, sealed 13-6 for a commanding 2-0 grip.
Then NRG woke up. Cornered on Haven, they produced an emphatic 13-3 to stay alive, and carried that momentum into Ascent, storming to a 6-0 start and a dominant 9-3 defensive half that pointed squarely at a deciding fifth map. But 100 Thieves refused to fold. A blistering 7-1 run levelled the map at 10-10, and though NRG clawed to match point at 12-10, the Thieves denied them twice to force overtime. There, Peter "Asuna" Mazuryk delivered the moment of the tournament, back-to-back multi-kills that carried 100T to a 14-12 win and the trophy on their first match point.
A Long-Awaited Payoff
The win carries real weight for the organisation and its players. Cryocells took tournament MVP after a staggering finals, finishing with 65 kills across the series and a 26-bomb on Ascent alone, validation for a player who admitted he'd doubted himself throughout his career. For Asuna, who joined 100 Thieves at 17 and stuck with them for more than five years, it's a first major international title after countless near-misses, a payoff for years of loyalty on a roster now rebuilt around promising newcomers. Few expected this team to reach the final after a shaky offseason overhaul, which makes the achievement all the sweeter.
The victory returns 100 Thieves to Valorant silverware for the first time since 2024 and firmly re-establishes them among the scene's elite. As the confetti fell in Paris, Asuna summed up the mood, saying that now the first floodgate had broken, the team intends to keep going.
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