





Welcome Stewie2k











Jake "Stewie2K" Yip "I’m excited to work and play with players that I’ve known coming up in the scene. The team has been rising each year and I’ve seen good progression over time. I think we have a bright future ahead of us and we can meet our expectations given time. I have a good feeling about this move and I believe it’s for the better. Only we can hold us back now."





I quickly got permission to talk with the MiBR players. After talking to Stewie I was super impressed. Usually in those conversation a major focus is the contract amounts. For Stewie it was all about the team's aspirations, goals, and most of all our plan for winning. Now that I think about it I don't even think he asked about his salary — he just wanted to win. This came as a breathe of fresh air to us. He brings an energy and motivation that is infectious.



We think he can add a level of play making and leadership that we did not have before. The move became incredibly clear after our talk that Stewie was the player for us. I can't wait to watch him integrate with the team and I know we will find success with his work ethic. While most are taking a much deserved break, Stewie is hard at work trying to get ready for the next season. This will be the roster move that gets us into trophy town."



Steve "jokasteve" Perino "When we got the news that TACO and zews requested to be traded we had 3 options. 1.) We could request that the roster stay together and work through it; 2.) We could sell them to a new team; or 3.) We could trade them for a new player. We were unsure the best thing to do in this situation after having such a successful season, but due to the nature of TACO and zews' request we decided it was best to part ways.I quickly got permission to talk with the MiBR players. After talking to Stewie I was super impressed. Usually in those conversation a major focus is the contract amounts. For Stewie it was all about the team's aspirations, goals, and most of all our plan for winning. Now that I think about it I don't even think he asked about his salary — he just wanted to win. This came as a breathe of fresh air to us. He brings an energy and motivation that is infectious.We think he can add a level of play making and leadership that we did not have before. The move became incredibly clear after our talk that Stewie was the player for us. I can't wait to watch him integrate with the team and I know we will find success with his work ethic. While most are taking a much deserved break, Stewie is hard at work trying to get ready for the next season. This will be the roster move that gets us into trophy town."

A Message from Victor





I really had hoped that Wilton would become Team Liquid’s Arsene Wenger and absolutely think it could have been possible. However towards the end it started to seem like something had been missing. That spark which had previously been there every step of the way didn’t quite shine like it used to. When Wilton shared the request for him and Taco to be traded to MiBR it wasn’t a huge surprise. We are never going to be the organization that just gives in to every request, but when someone has done this much for us we have to take a real good look at the situation and see what we gain from forcing a stay. When Taco joined last April it did feel like that was the last missing piece and truthfully there was no need for this from our perspective as we have been thrilled with our growth this year. We decided that if we could find the right replacement for Taco that we would try to work this out with MiBR.



When we started to explore what scenarios were possible in this trade it did not take long for us to get excited again. We do think that Stewie in a vacuum is one of the best players out there. We also think that he is someone who steps up when the pressure is on. This is an element of his personality we think will be incredibly valuable for us in years to come. We are also aware of the challenges around team atmosphere and feel that he has outgrown some of this stigma, whereas we are optimistic about working together with him and the team on the remainder. When it comes to all the choices out there for a possible replacement we believe that if we aim to bring home a premier tournament in 2019 then Stewie will be an important part of the formula that gets us there.



The influence zews has had on Team Liquid will not be gone with his departure. When one has brought so many fundamentals to a team and organization it will last for a long time. The roster and competitors we will be next year is in large part thanks to Wilton’s efforts these past two years. You are never going to be forgotten and we will play our hearts out to bring home that premier championship that has eluded us thus far. I know I spent most of this on Wilton and hopefully that is understandable. I do want to share that Taco has been nothing but a pleasure to work with and I have tremendous respect for the way he has carried himself during our time together. These are two individuals who left it all behind in order to pursue a dream. I hope that they will find the success but also the home they have been longing for. We will see you again on the battlefield.



Thank you,



Victor Goossens I’ve had the pleasure working with Wilton for the past two years. He came in with a drive and a desire to prove that he could build something special with Team Liquid. It was a very different type of challenge than coaching LG/SK. The following two years I have gotten to know him and can clearly say that he is the best coach I have ever worked with. His eye for strategy, talent, and balancing player skills and personalities is simply unmatched. Combine this with just an iron discipline of putting in the time whenever needed, regardless of timezones, sleep, and sometimes even his own health. I remember all the nights we were up theorizing on urgent roster moves and negotiations and can honestly say that he never let us down once.I really had hoped that Wilton would become Team Liquid’s Arsene Wenger and absolutely think it could have been possible. However towards the end it started to seem like something had been missing. That spark which had previously been there every step of the way didn’t quite shine like it used to. When Wilton shared the request for him and Taco to be traded to MiBR it wasn’t a huge surprise. We are never going to be the organization that just gives in to every request, but when someone has done this much for us we have to take a real good look at the situation and see what we gain from forcing a stay. When Taco joined last April it did feel like that was the last missing piece and truthfully there was no need for this from our perspective as we have been thrilled with our growth this year. We decided that if we could find the right replacement for Taco that we would try to work this out with MiBR.When we started to explore what scenarios were possible in this trade it did not take long for us to get excited again. We do think that Stewie in a vacuum is one of the best players out there. We also think that he is someone who steps up when the pressure is on. This is an element of his personality we think will be incredibly valuable for us in years to come. We are also aware of the challenges around team atmosphere and feel that he has outgrown some of this stigma, whereas we are optimistic about working together with him and the team on the remainder. When it comes to all the choices out there for a possible replacement we believe that if we aim to bring home a premier tournament in 2019 then Stewie will be an important part of the formula that gets us there.The influence zews has had on Team Liquid will not be gone with his departure. When one has brought so many fundamentals to a team and organization it will last for a long time. The roster and competitors we will be next year is in large part thanks to Wilton’s efforts these past two years. You are never going to be forgotten and we will play our hearts out to bring home that premier championship that has eluded us thus far. I know I spent most of this on Wilton and hopefully that is understandable. I do want to share that Taco has been nothing but a pleasure to work with and I have tremendous respect for the way he has carried himself during our time together. These are two individuals who left it all behind in order to pursue a dream. I hope that they will find the success but also the home they have been longing for. We will see you again on the battlefield.Thank you,

A Message from Zews











I will always look back at my time here with great pride as we have grown and accomplished so much together. My goal when joining was to instill a culture of consistency as only then would the results be lasting. I feel my goal was accomplished as we consistently became better and now finish the year as the second best team in the world.



I enjoyed all my time here and making the decision to leave was one of the hardest of my life. It’s time for me to go back alongside my brothers. To all my teammates and friends I wish you all the continued success in the world. You guys are amazing and I have personally seen you grow so much as players and more importantly as people. I hope some of the lessons I have taught stick with you as I'm sure what I have learned will always stay with me.



My time here has come to an end but my relationship with all of Liquid continues as you have been nothing short of perfect with me. Thanks for all the trust you have invested in me and may our paths cross again the future."



Much love,



Wilton "zews" Prado “A little over two years ago I joined TL in what was one of the biggest challenges of my life. I was on my own in a place far from home with no one I knew close by. So much has changed in those two years as I grew to love everyone on Liquid and created a second family here around me.I will always look back at my time here with great pride as we have grown and accomplished so much together. My goal when joining was to instill a culture of consistency as only then would the results be lasting. I feel my goal was accomplished as we consistently became better and now finish the year as the second best team in the world.I enjoyed all my time here and making the decision to leave was one of the hardest of my life. It’s time for me to go back alongside my brothers. To all my teammates and friends I wish you all the continued success in the world. You guys are amazing and I have personally seen you grow so much as players and more importantly as people. I hope some of the lessons I have taught stick with you as I'm sure what I have learned will always stay with me.My time here has come to an end but my relationship with all of Liquid continues as you have been nothing short of perfect with me. Thanks for all the trust you have invested in me and may our paths cross again the future."Much love,

A Message from TACO











I enjoyed every single second of my time and I hope I can come back one day because this time, it was just time to go back home."



Much love,



Epitácio "TACO" de Melo” “Joining Liquid was a great decision. My goal was to bring the team from the top 9 of the world’s ranking to the top 1. It did not happen, but I’m proud of everything we accomplished together, and finishing the year as the second best team in the world is also something to be proud of.I enjoyed every single second of my time and I hope I can come back one day because this time, it was just time to go back home."Much love,

2018 has been a landmark year for Team Liquid. It was a very long year with tournaments across the globe, and though it was often exhausting, it was time well spent. Of course, the grind of professional Counter-Strike can be taxing even for the most hardy competitors, and things like homesickness and fatigue can set in.Over the past two years, Team Liquid has become a second home for zews and TACO, yet we can understandably never replace the country of their birth. When the competitive calendar ended recently, they approached us to discuss their desire to represent their nation once more and return to an all-Brazilian team. Even though we wished to continue with them, their request came from a sincere place, and we wanted to find the best possible solution for everyone involved.We have thus decided to send zews and TACO in a trade to MiBR for none other than Jake "Stewie2K" Yip. Stewie is a former Major winner and an exceptional player, known for his aggressive and maverick playstyle. Over the past year, we have excelled against teams we should beat, but have occasionally lacked an X-factor that can provide a spark when the lights of the big stage are on us. Even though Stewie does not directly replace TACO tactically, he offers the same kind of fire that has been important for our team's dynamic.Even though this move raises a few questions, our goal is to improve upon our accomplishments this past year. We recognize everything that TACO and zews have done for the squad, but this mutual parting would not have been possible if we did not believe that we could move forward and higher after their departure. This trade would not have been possible if we did not value Stewie as an improvement to our team, and with a new head coach lined up who can provide more well rounded strategic contributions, we believe that this trade puts us in a better place to succeed moving forward. We’ve already seen what this team can do without zews — when he stayed home during ELEAGUE CS:GO Premier — and the foundations that they helped put in place will continue with our core. This is the strongest North American squad that has ever been assembled, and we welcome the high expectations everyone has for 2019. We are confident that the team will continue to make our fans proud, and we encourage our fans to give Stewie2K a warm welcome to Team Liquid.Stewie2K is a name familiar to every fan of North American Counter-Strike. While he has only been playing professionally for the past 4 years, what Stewie has accomplished during that time ranks among the best that the region has to offer. From ESL ProLeague Finals to an ELEAGUE Major, Stewie has experienced the inexpressible highs of winning the biggest tournaments in the world.Stewie initially made his name as an entry fragger, quick on the action with cat-like reflexes. Yet he has also shown a remarkable ability to adapt, first as a rifler-AWPer hybrid, and then in a more supportive role with MiBR. He has said in the past that, "If I can't adjust, then I don't belong here, but if I'm willing to take time to adjust and take criticism from others, that's what's going to make me a better player." It's quite clear that over the past 2 years of his career, he has proven that he has become a more complete player by learning new roles and positions. Even though some roles have taken more time than others, it's this willingness to learn that has continued to put Stewie in a position to win.A move to Team Liquid is his latest challenge, and he joins a squad that has been painfully close on a number of occasions. He arrives at the perfect time, as he brings a competitive fire and a dogged attitude to a squad that has often been described as quiet. Though it will take quite a bit of work for Stewie to find his place within the team, he has a body of work that shows that he can do it. And we're all excited to see what our new North American squad can accomplish in 2019.When zews joined the team on November 10th 2016, Team Liquid was a good North American team. Today, as he departs, Team Liquid is a great team — period. The changes that this team has undergone are many, and while there were definitely a lot of growing pains, it’s clear now that they were all for the best.The results speak for themselves. After a building up period in early 2017, zews’ work behind the scenes took shape, and we showed a first glimpse of our potential by taking second at both ESG Mykonos and ESL One New York. We continued to work throughout the year, and zews even had the opportunity to get back into the booth for ESL ProLeague Season 6 Finals.It culminated in an incredible year. Although we were unable to scale the mountain, our accomplishments in 2018 count among the greatest in our region’s history. A spot as the second best team in the world understates just how good we were this year, and zews was the foundation for the progress we were able to make this year. The successive silver medals will always be bittersweet, but we are in an excellent position to grow because of the year that we have just had.The real sign of a great leader is not how a team falls after he leaves, but how the team continues to succeed based on the fundamentals that he has established. Although we are sad that zews is going, he has prepared us for life without him, and we are ready for the challenge.Zews is a huge part of Team Liquid history, and for that, we will always be thankful.We were on the cusp of greatness when we had the opportunity to add TACO presented itself. As one of the most experienced and most successful players in the scene, he offered something that we could not find anywhere else. He was going to be the fire that the team needed, and the glue guy that brought out the best in our stars. Although our time together was ultimately short, he proved that he is every last bit the man that we had hope — and even more.Aside from his support play, he was a big part of the swagger that we developed as a team. Ever the charismatic figure, we will forever remember the sound bites, the interviews, and the chants that he raised from audiences around the world in the name of Liquid. And of course, we will never forget the clutches, the frags, and the pop-offs after our wins. TACO was an important part of our success as a team, and we will definitely miss his big personality.