biguzera: “I wouldn’t say that paiN Gaming is currently performing at a level that’s acceptable to us.”
Rodrigo “biguzera” Bittencourt, captain of paiN Gaming, Bittencourt, in an interview at the 2026 CS2 Esports World Cup, shared his feelings after being eliminated from the tournament, discussed the team’s struggles with pistol rounds, and assessed the team’s current level of play.
On his feelings after being eliminated from the event
On Nuke, I was reading the game pretty well and understood what our opponents were doing, but at the same time, we weren’t able to capitalize on our advantage. We made too many positioning mistakes—small ones, perhaps, but still significant. We had the opportunity to figure out our opponents’ plans in practically every round, but unfortunately, we still couldn’t pull ahead.
On the team’s challenges
We’ve had a recurring problem with pistol rounds throughout the season—we’re losing far too many of them. Of course, we’re trying to do something about it—training extra and preparing—but it doesn’t always work out. Because of this, it’s definitely much harder for us to win series, since these rounds are very important and have a major impact on the economy and pace of the game.
On the team’s current situation
I wouldn’t say that paiN Gaming is currently performing at a level we’re satisfied with. Of course, we all want more, but to achieve that, we need to work harder and try even harder. This applies both in Counter-Strike and in real life. If you want to be a millionaire, it’s not enough to just say so at every turn—you have to work for it. Success and results don’t just fall into your lap; that doesn’t happen. So yes, we need to put in a lot more effort to achieve our goals than we are right now.
Today, paiN Gaming lost to The MongolZ in the decisive match of the group stage at the 2026 Esports World Cup in CS2 with a score of 0–2 in a best-of-3 series. Rodrigo “biguzera” Bittencourt’s team finished the tournament in 17th–24th place.
