Sacy Reportedly Set to Become T1 Head Coach for VCT 2027

Gustavo “Sacy” Rossi is reportedly set to become T1's head coach for the 2027 VCT season, bringing the former world champion back to professional VALORANT more than two years after retiring as a player. According to a November 3 report by Sheep Esports, the Brazilian is expected to lead the South Korean organization's VCT Pacific roster.

The move would also reunite Sacy with Tyson “TenZ” Ngo, his former Sentinels teammate. TenZ is reportedly preparing to return to competition with T1, while Austin “crashies” Roberts is also expected to join the lineup. Neither the coaching appointment nor the reported player signings have been officially confirmed by T1.

T1's Roster Overhaul Opens the Door for Sacy

If confirmed, the appointment would mark Sacy's first professional coaching job. Although he has spent years competing at the highest level of VALORANT, the 28-year-old has never publicly held a coaching position in the VCT.

T1 is entering 2027 with major changes to both its roster and coaching staff. On November 2, the organization announced the departures of head coach Kim “KDG” Dong-gun, assistant coach Lee “CheongGak” Il-ho, and three players: Byeon “Munchkin” Sang-beom, Kim “Meteor” Tae-oh and Kang “DH” Dong-ho.

The departures had been anticipated, with Strafe reporting on the expected roster changes in October. KDG's exit also leaves the head coaching position vacant after a season in which T1 reached the VALORANT Champions playoffs for the first time, finishing fifth to sixth in Shanghai.

The reported additions of TenZ and crashies would bring North American players into a roster that has been exclusively Korean in recent seasons. Ham “iZu” Woo-joo remains under contract for 2027, while Sheep Esports reports that the organization is still discussing potential contract extensions with Yu “BuZz” Byung-chul and Kim “stax” Gu-taek.

The final roster has yet to be announced, but Sacy's reported arrival would give the organization a head coach with experience winning international titles in both Brazil and North America.

From Team Vikings to a World Championship With LOUD

Sacy's esports career began long before VALORANT. He previously competed in League of Legends, winning Brazil's CBLOL with RED Canids in 2017 before eventually switching to Riot Games' tactical shooter in 2020.

He became one of Brazil's most prominent initiator players with Team Vikings, helping the team qualify for Masters Reykjavík, VALORANT's first international LAN event, in 2021. Later that year, he also represented Brazil at the inaugural VALORANT Champions.

His biggest breakthrough came in 2022 with LOUD. Alongside Matías “Saadhak” Delipetro, Erick “aspas” Santos, Felipe “Less” Basso and Bryan “pANcada” Luna, he helped the Brazilian squad finish runner-up at Masters Reykjavík before winning VALORANT Champions Istanbul.

LOUD defeated OpTic Gaming 3-1 in the grand final, becoming the first Brazilian organization to win the game's world championship.

Despite that success, the championship-winning lineup did not stay together. After the 2022 season, Sacy and pANcada left LOUD to join Sentinels for the inaugural season of the partnered VCT Americas league. It was there that Sacy began playing alongside TenZ.

Sacy and TenZ Won Masters Madrid Together at Sentinels

Sacy spent two seasons with TenZ at Sentinels, experiencing both the team's struggles in 2023 and its resurgence the following year.

Their first season together fell short of expectations, with Sentinels failing to qualify for Masters or Champions. The team bounced back in 2024, winning VCT Americas Kickoff and earning a place at Masters Madrid.

In Spain, Sentinels recovered from an upper bracket final defeat to Gen.G, eliminated Paper Rex in the lower bracket final and then beat Gen.G 3-2 in the grand final to claim the Masters Madrid 2024 title.

It was Sacy's second major international trophy, adding a Masters title to the world championship he had won with LOUD two years earlier. TenZ, meanwhile, secured his second Masters championship after previously winning the inaugural Masters Reykjavík in 2021.

Sentinels also finished fourth at VALORANT Champions Seoul later that year. It would turn out to be the final major tournament of both players' full-time competitive careers.

After retiring, the two followed different paths. Sacy returned to Brazil, while TenZ stayed with Sentinels as a content creator before leaving the organization in May 2025.

One year later, in May 2026, TenZ officially joined T1 as a content creator. Now, the Canadian is reportedly preparing to compete again, with his former teammate potentially returning alongside him in a very different role.

Retirement, Co-Streams and a Return That Never Happened

Sacy announced his retirement from professional VALORANT on September 15, 2024, shortly after Sentinels' campaign at Champions Seoul. He subsequently moved into content creation, remaining active in the competitive community through streaming and watch parties.

In March 2025, Sacy joined MIBR as a content creator. His co-streams of competitive matches, including VCT Americas broadcasts, became a regular part of his work after retirement.

Although he had stepped away from professional play, a temporary comeback was planned for 2026. Sacy was officially selected to represent Brazil at the Esports Nations Cup, alongside former LOUD teammates aspas and Less, among other Brazilian players. TenZ was also named to Canada's national team for the same competition.

The tournament was originally scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. However, on August 18, the Esports Foundation announced that the inaugural Esports Nations Cup had been postponed until November 2027, citing uncertainty surrounding the wider regional situation.

For Sacy, the delay meant abandoning plans for what could have been one final appearance as a player. He had already been discussing preparations with Brazil's head coach, Ian “shaW” Jardim, and was considering a bootcamp to get back into competitive shape.

Following the postponement, Sacy said he would no longer compete for Brazil in 2027, explaining that he had already spent too much time away from professional play. He did, however, leave open the possibility of helping the national team as a coach or member of the coaching staff.

Sacy Had Already Considered Becoming a Coach

The reported T1 appointment would not be a completely unexpected career move. Sacy had publicly discussed the possibility of coaching on several occasions after retiring.

In a December 2025 interview with THESPIKE Brasil, he acknowledged his interest in becoming a coach, while also admitting that the position would require him to develop new skills, particularly in managing people.

He revisited the subject in September 2026, telling the same outlet that he was not ready to commit to coaching without knowing what opportunities might become available. At the time, he said content creation remained his priority, but he would consider a coaching role if the right offer came along.

Less than two months later, Sheep Esports is reporting that Sacy is preparing to take charge of T1. If confirmed, his first coaching assignment would also mark a reunion with TenZ as both former Sentinels players prepare for another chapter in their VALORANT careers.

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Featured Image Credit: Riot Games / T1

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