Aleksib after Natus Vincere’s elimination from the IEM Cologne Major: “I’ve never felt this bad after a Major.”
Natus Vincere captain Aleksib Virolainen, in an interview at the IEM Cologne Major 2026, summed up the match against G2 Esports, commented on the team’s elimination from the tournament, and thanked the fans for their support.
On the loss to G2 Esports on the decisive Mirage map
It all came down to small details. But I think we had a lot of energy at the start of the defense; we felt like we were in control of the game after winning the pistol round. But then they seized the initiative. Toward the end, we regained it and won a crucial pistol round on the attack. At one point, the game was very close, but I think they played better in the end.
On being eliminated from the Major
I’ve never felt this bad after a Major as I do after this one. We came here after Atlanta, beat a team we really wanted to beat all season long. We had chances to make the playoffs—yesterday against Team Falcons, today against G2 Esports. But apparently, it wasn’t meant to be. It sucks, and it hurts.
On fan support
It’s really hard to find the right words right now. I’m so disappointed. It’s hard to say anything truly meaningful. But I’m glad I received such great support from the Finnish fans. I think there was a lot of hype surrounding this tournament, even among people outside the Counter-Strike community. And besides the Finnish fans, there were a lot of wonderful Ukrainian fans here, as well as fans from all over the world. I knew how much this meant to me and to makazze. And I’m just sad that today I wasn’t able to get us across the finish line.
Earlier, Natus Vincere concluded their run at the IEM Cologne Major 2026. In the decisive match of the third stage, Alexi “Aleksib” Virolainen’s team lost to G2 Esports 1-2 and finished in 9th–11th place, earning $20,000 in prize money.
Photo — Helena Kristiansson, ESL.
