How Mourinho documentary inspired Carlsen to a clinical Esports World Cup title

Magnus Carlsen's clinical victory at the Esports World Cup (EWC) final served as inspiration for a young Belarusian esports player, Denis Lazavik. After losing to the world's best, Lazavik found himself reflecting on the efficiency and lack of complexity in Carlsen's play. It all started when Lazavik watched a Mourinho documentary on Netflix, in which the coach discussed a winning strategy of 1-0 victories.

Carlsen echoed this approach during the Paris event, saving energy and opting for a more conservative style of play, even while battling illness. Despite some boring games, Carlsen remained unbeaten, successfully defending his title for the second consecutive year. This approach was deliberate, according to Carlsen, who mentioned watching the Mourinho documentary as a source of inspiration.

Carlsen's focus on minimizing energy expenditure and avoiding unnecessary complexity allowed him to cruise to his second EWC title, leaving Lazavik and other competitors to ponder the future of his game.