The last time Sanford was here, he won a world championship. Can he do it again this year?
It’s been a long three years since Team Liquid’s Sanford appeared on the M-Series stage but now he’s back for another shot at a world championship.
Sanford Vinuya has grown a lot in that three-year gap since his last appearance. He’s won four MPL PH trophies, became a MSC 2025 champion, and even brought home a gold medal from the 2025 SEA Games to boot. He’s traveled the world and played in multiple international tournaments, but there’s nothing quite like the feeling of playing in the M-Series.
“Masaya ako, syempre,” said Team Liquid’s Sanford. “Kasi ilang M-Series championships na-miss ko na. Parang same vibes lang sa M4 – same country, same venue, pati yung hotel parehas. So sobrang excited ako maglaro, lalo na dito sa Indonesia.”
It does seem like fate that Sanford’s next M-Series would be in the same country as his first one. But the Sanford from then and now couldn’t be anymore different. The achievements alone that he and Team Liquid have gathered since then have turned them into the titans of MLBB. It’s a far cry from his days as a scrappy underdog with ECHO.
But to Sanford’s credit, he’s not letting the successes of the team weigh him down. In fact, he and Team Liquid seem to be using it to their full advantage.
“Syempre dagdag confidence siya,” said Team Liquid’s Sanford on the topic of their recent achievements. “Kasi nakikita ng mga ibang teams na wala kaming pinapalampasan na tournament. Ginagamit namin yung dominance na yun para ma-feel nila yung aura namin.”
And now that M7 is fully underway, there’s only one team that Sanford is excited to face.
“ONIC, kasi sobrang lakas nila sa Indonesia. Sila rin yung recent champions sa [Games of the Future] so gusto ko makita anong level na kami compared sa kanila.”
Banner photo from MPL Philippines.