Aleksib on advancing to the Esports World Cup 2026 CS2 playoffs: “It’s just as important as in any other tournament.”
Natus Vincere captain Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen spoke in an interview at the Esports World Cup 2026 about advancing to the playoffs, the loss to The MongolZ on Ancient, and the battle for points in the club championship.
On advancing to the playoffs
It’s just as important as at any other tournament, but I really think that everything matters, especially at the start of the season. We had a long boot camp, so it would have been pretty disappointing if we’d struggled here in the group stage. So making the playoffs is important to us—yes, definitely.
On the loss on Ancient
In our last two matches on Ancient, we went into overtime with a score of 13–11; both games were very close. In the end, The MongolZ came out on top. At 9-9, we had good CT economy. That’s usually a strength for us, but they managed to break through our defense, and yes, I give them credit.
On the Esports World Cup 2026 Club Championship
I don’t think it necessarily adds any extra pressure, but I do think it’s cool to see other Natus Vincere representatives at the tournament. Some players have achieved excellent results, and we don’t want to be the ones who cost Natus Vincere points. So, obviously, we’ll do everything we can. And yes, it’s a cool concept.
Earlier, Natus Vincere defeated The MongolZ 2-1 in Group D at the 2026 Esports World Cup for Counter-Strike 2. As a result, Alexi “Aleksib” Virolainen’s team advanced to the championship playoffs, which begin on August 19.
Photo — StarLadder.
