Sometimes good coaches and good teams just don’t click. ZETA DIVISION and coach Carlos “Carlao” Mohn learned this lesson the hard way. After nearly two years together, they’re going separate ways.
The End of an Era
ZETA DIVISION announced that Carlao’s contract has expired. The Brazilian coach won’t be staying with the Japanese team. This marks the end of a partnership that started with high hopes but never reached its goals.
Carlao joined ZETA before the 2023 Red Bull Home Ground tournament. The team showed promise, finishing 5th-6th place. They lost a close match against Cloud9 in the quarterfinals. It looked like good things were coming.
But that early success never turned into bigger wins.
A Coach With Championship Experience
Before joining ZETA, Carlao was a big name in VALORANT coaching. He spent time as head coach of FURIA, one of Brazil’s top teams. His resume with FURIA was impressive:
- Won Stage 3: Challengers Brazil 3
- Took first place at 2021 South America LCQ
- Led FURIA to back-to-back Champions appearances in 2021 and 2022
Those wins showed Carlao knew how to build championship teams. ZETA hoped he could bring that same success to Japan.
Struggles in Japan
Things didn’t go as planned with ZETA. The team faced problems right from the start. Carlao’s first tournament as head coach was the 2024 VCT Pacific Kickoff. ZETA got eliminated in the play-ins stage.
The struggles continued through 2024,
- Stage 1: Group stage exit
- Stage 2: Group stage exit
- Result: ZETA missed all international events
This broke ZETA’s Champions attendance streak that started in 2022. For a team used to competing at the highest level, missing Champions was a huge disappointment.
Coaching Changes Didn’t Help
In February 2025, ZETA tried to fix their problems. They moved Carlao from head coach to assistant coach. XQQ returned as the main head coach. The team hoped fresh leadership would turn things around.
Unfortunately, the 2025 season brought more of the same struggles,
- Kickoff tournament: 9th-12th place
- Stage 1: 9th-10th place
- Stage 2: 9th-10th place
These results showed that coaching wasn’t the only problem. The team needed bigger changes to compete with Pacific’s best squads.
Beyond the Main Team
Carlao didn’t just work with ZETA’s main roster. He also helped their Game Changers team and Academy squad. This shows he cared about developing talent at every level of the organization.
Working with multiple teams takes extra time and energy. Carlao tried to build ZETA’s entire VALORANT program, not just win matches with the main team.
What’s Next for Carlao
The Brazilian coach isn’t giving up on VALORANT. After leaving ZETA, he announced he’s looking for new opportunities. He’s open to coaching in any VCT region around the world.
Carlao’s experience with both Brazilian and Japanese teams makes him valuable. He understands different playing styles and cultures. Some team will likely give him another chance to prove himself.
ZETA Looks for New Direction
ZETA DIVISION now needs to find their next coach. The team has talented players like TenTen, Dep, and SugarZ3ro. They just need someone who can help them reach their potential.
The Japanese organization has a history of success in VALORANT. They made Champions multiple times and competed well internationally. Getting back to that level is their main goal.
Sometimes teams and coaches aren’t meant to work together, even when both sides have talent. ZETA and Carlao gave it their best shot for nearly two years. Now they’ll both try to find success in different places.
Andrew "SuZki" Scola is a dedicated Valorant player who has been in the game since the Valorant beta release, achieving a peak rank of Immortal 3. With over six years of experience writing gaming content, he brings deep game knowledge and strategic insight to every article. Based in Los Angeles, California, Andrew is an active member of the SoCal Valorant community and has competed at the semi-pro level in Valorant esports. As a proud Killjoy and Raze main, he’s known for his sharp utility usage and high-impact plays—especially on his favorite maps: Haven, Breeze, and Lotus.