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Blaber Gets Emotional After Cloud9 Secures Worlds 2026 Spot
20 Sep, 2026, 13:57
|Last updated: 20 Sep, 2026, 14:12
Shortly after Cloud9 beat LYON 3-1 to secure its spot at Worlds 2026, Robert "Blaber" Huang was called up for an on-stage interview alongside Jack Etienne, the organization's CEO and co-founder. The question was simple: what did it mean to return to Worlds for the first time since 2023?
The answer did not come right away. Visibly emotional, Blaber tried to speak, stopped, and ultimately handed the question over to Jack. The moment came after two consecutive seasons in which C9 missed League of Legends' biggest tournament of the year.
Blaber Gets Emotional on Stage After Qualifying
"Dude, I'm so emotional right now," Blaber said after being asked about returning to Worlds. Etienne took over and put the qualification into perspective. According to the CEO, the result meant a great deal to the players, staff, coaching staff, and fans after Cloud9's time away from Worlds.
"It means so much to us. Not just us, but our coaching staff, our employees, and all our fans. It's been a long time. It doesn't matter how you start, it matters how you finish. They put in the work and they're showing it. I'm so proud of them."
When the microphone returned to Blaber, his answer remained brief.
"I don't have much to say. I'm just really happy."
Trust in the Team and a Rebuilt C9
The interview then turned to the problems Cloud9 faced during its time away from Worlds. Asked what had changed in his own play and within the team, Blaber pointed mainly to the players' trust in one another and their ability to stay calm even when a game starts badly.
"It's about trusting my team. I want to give a lot of credit to our coaches. I think we've gotten a lot better at staying calm and trusting that we can win even when we're in a bad situation."
Jack then looked back on the situation the organization faced at the end of the previous stage. According to him, the head coach and general manager stepped down from their roles, while the players began questioning whether the structure could still put together a team capable of reaching Worlds.
The CEO said members of the staff took on new responsibilities and that Cloud9 had to reorganize its structure around the players. For Jack, qualifying was also a result of how that group responded over the following months.
Another moment in the interview showed a much more relaxed Blaber. Asked about LYON's decision to choose the side of the bracket containing Cloud9, the jungler said the team did not have a strong preference between its potential opponents.
"They picked us, so we just thought, 'All right, then we'll beat them'."
Cloud9's Last Worlds Appearance Was in 2023
The qualification ends a run of two straight Worlds without Cloud9. Its last appearance came in 2023, when Blaber was also part of the North American roster.
At that Worlds, C9 opened the Swiss stage with a win over MAD Lions but did not win another series. Losses to LNG Esports and T1 left the team with a 1-2 record before its elimination series against Fnatic. The European team won the series 2-1, leaving Cloud9 with a final record of 1-3.
The return did not come in 2024. In that year's LCS playoffs, Cloud9 lost to FlyQuest in the upper bracket and entered its decisive matchup against 100 Thieves needing a win to stay in contention for a spot at Worlds. A 3-1 loss eliminated C9 and sent 100 Thieves to Worlds.
In 2025, when the North American competition was part of the LTA, the story once again ended against 100 Thieves. The two teams met in a five-game series during the LTA North Stage 3 playoffs. 100 Thieves won 3-2, advanced to the LTA Championship, and ended Cloud9's chances of reaching Worlds that year.
Cloud9 therefore missed two consecutive editions of Worlds before qualifying again in 2026.
How Cloud9 Secured Its Worlds 2026 Spot
The format of the final stage of the 2026 LCS awards Worlds spots to the top three teams in the playoffs. Cloud9's path began with a 3-0 win over Shopify Rebellion on September 12.
One week later, C9 faced LYON with international qualification on the line. Cloud9 won the opening game, saw LYON tie the series in the second, then responded by taking the next two. The 3-1 victory secured Cloud9 a top-three finish in the LCS and, with it, a return to Worlds.
The win also made Cloud9 the first LCS representative to confirm its place at Worlds 2026. The team's final playoff finish will still determine its seed at the international tournament.
For Blaber, however, qualifying does not mark the end of the team's work. Still on stage, once he was able to speak more calmly, the jungler made C9's next objective clear.
"All of us worked extremely hard this split. Making Worlds is huge for us, but our goal is to win the split," he said. "This is just the beginning for the next series we have ahead of us."
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Featured image credit: LCS/Riot Games
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