Sibol Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. Photo from MPL Philippines
Sibol’s Mobile Legends: Bang Bang 2026 Asian Games campaign unraveled through a string of costly errors, leaving star-player Karl Nepomuceno admitting the Philippines never found the game that had put it on top.
For Nepomuceno, the loss was not simply a matter of being outplayed, as Sibol struggled to execute its game plan while its opponents found success with their hero selections.
“Feel ko sobrang dami naming errors, and tingin ko 'di namin nalaro 'yung laro talaga namin,” he told POC Media, acknowledging that the team did not expect to suffer the defeat while commending Indonesia with their draft.
READ: Sibol MLBB unable to fulfill medal expectations at Asiad esports after shock loss to Indonesia
Despite the disappointing result, Nepomuceno maintained his belief in the Philippines’ standing in MLBB, saying the country remains among the strongest regions in the game despite Sibol’s struggles on the international stage.
“'Pinas pa rin 'yung on top. Sadyang pangit lang nilalaro namin lagi 'pag international,” Nepomuceno said, after failing to secure any trophy in the last international tournaments that his team has been in.
The frustration extended beyond the result itself, with him admitting that the tournament had taken a toll on the team.
READ: Sibol MLBB players laud group stage opponents for ‘keeping pace’ in drafts, meta
“Medyo nakakawalang gana 'yung run namin na 'to,” he said, declining to elaborate further.
Nepomuceno likewise struggled to identify a clear takeaway from the campaign, describing the run as particularly frustrating because of the team’s belief that it had advantages over their opponents.
“Parang napakawalang-kuwentang run nito para sa akin kasi alam alam na alam naming lamang kami sa lahat,” he said. “Ewan ko paano kami natalo.”
Still, Nepomuceno pointed toward the same response Sibol has relied on after difficult international campaigns, returning to the grind and trying again.
“Mindset siguro bawi na lang ulit, lagi naman,” he said.
For Sibol, that bounce-back mentality now becomes the focus as the team looks ahead to its next international tournament.