buda: "Our goals are to keep getting better, go to Europe, and become a stable top-tier team"

9z shocked on the first day of play at IEM Dallas with back-to-back victories to earn a spot at the IEM Dallas playoffs.

9z fought the odds not once, but twice, on the inaugural IEM Dallas day with back-to-back victories against MOUZ and Liquid. The Latin American squad defeated the top-ranked team in the world in a best-of-one, but did so on Nuke — a hard map to fluke.

The second victory, against Liquid, was just as sweet, as it was in a close three-map series and granted passage to the playoffs. 9z will, therefore, play in front of the arena crowd at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, where they went as spectators last year when they were knocked out of the competition early.

Nicolás "⁠buda⁠" Kramer took a moment to answer some questions following the monumental feat for the Latin American squad. He spoke about what the victories meant for the team and the region, how Antonio "⁠MartinezSa⁠" Martinez has added an extra layer of depth to the team, and plans for the future — which include going to Europe.

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Congratulations on the win. How does it feel to beat big names like MOUZ and Liquid?

Thank you. It means a lot to us because we're an underdog team. It also means a lot to everyone in our region and our fans.

How does it feel to have earned a place on the stage?

It feels great because it's the first time we're going to play in front of a crowd, and it's going to be a great crowd — a lot of people. We were here last year, and although we didn't make it to the playoffs, we went to the arena to watch the matches, and it was a beautiful experience.

You had a tough time at your last two big LAN events, IEM Rio and IEM Chengdu. What did you do differently this time?

We had a lot of talks as a team, and we managed to reach our own style. I think that was the key.

You had Martinez join late last year. How much has he changed things on the team? He's coming from a European team, so has he brought new things, or is he staying more in your Latin-American style?

The truth is that he changed things quite a bit because he's used to a slower pace, and he helps convey that calmness, especially during rounds when we're a man down or rounds like that.

You have the FiReLEAGUE finals in Argentina next. You're obviously not done with Dallas yet, but considering what you've done so far, how do you think you'll do there?

I think we'll do well, but I think it's going to be very different because the crowd there will be supporting us. It'll be a great experience.

What are 9z's goals for the rest of the seasons?

Our goals are to keep getting better, go to Europe, and become a stable, top-tier team.