FNC Alfajer thrives on challenges. Despite defeating Vitality at VCT EMEA Kickoff, the team fell short of qualifying for international play.
Emir "Alfajer" Beder has been playing for Fnatic (FNC) since 2022. The Turkish player is no stranger to international stages, but the VCT EMEA 2026 Kickoff posed a challenge from the start. Still, he was more than ready to face the best and aim for victory.
Against his former teammates, Alfajer showed Team Vitality who truly rules VALORANT. In an interview with esports.gg after the match, he spoke about trash-talking, playing with Vyse, and the great representation of Turkish players in the region.
Fnatic fails to qualify for Masters Santiago
After the match against Team Vitality, Fnatic was one step closer to the international stage, a stage they know so well. Unfortunately for Fnatic, the team was unable to overcome Gentle Mates and Team Liquid in their final chance to secure a spot at Masters Santiago.
Against Vitality, FNC Alfajer didn’t see a major challenge. He explained that he didn’t put much pressure on himself, unlike when he faced BBL Esports. "I was playing against my friends in BBL, they’re also Turkish, and I was putting a lot of pressure on myself. After that, my performance coach told me to focus on myself and forget the enemy," he laughed.
Games like the one against Team Vitality give FNC Alfajer even more motivation, especially when his team is winning, and the opponents start to stand out after a strong round. "I hate being targeted, and when I am, I usually play way better. It gives me motivation," he said.
Alfajer also revealed he doesn't like to play Vyse, even though he is the only one playing it in the region. "Everyone thinks Vyse is good, but I have been saying, 'No one is playing this.' I'm playing her on Corrode and Abyss. She looks good there, but I find it boring."
FNC Alfajer on Turkey’s rising VALORANT stars
In recent years, the EMEA region has helped some of the best Turkish players reach higher levels. If FNC Alfajer were to build a national team, he said he would choose Yusuf "Lar0k" Kanbe (BBL), Uğur "Ruxic" Güç (NAVI), Mert "Wo0t" Alkan, Enes "RieNs" Ecirli (Team Heretics), and himself. He would also like to have Volkan "sociablEE" Yönal as the in-game leader due to his experience.
For Alfajer, it is a huge pleasure to see so many Turkish players succeed in the scene. With so many young talents reaching Tier 1, he said he is especially proud of BBL for reaching the Upper Bracket finals. At the time of the interview, BBL was still playing the Grand Finals, which they had won against Gentle Mates. "Some of them are my friends and I can hang out more with them here in Berlin. That is perfect for me," Alfajer commented.
FNC Alfajer expressed that he wants BBL to succeed. "They are making history, and I just want to tell them to keep it up. Some Turkish players have problems with their ego, and I don’t want to see them affected by it. Be humble and keep doing what you’re doing. You are the best," he said.
Fnatic will return to action in VCT 2026: EMEA Stage 1, which begins in March following the conclusion of Masters Santiago. The group lineups are already available, and we’ll keep you updated with the official schedules and match details as soon as they are released.
