Devilwalk on Team Falcons: “m0NESY and NiKo should be ashamed of themselves as athletes”
Host James “BanKs” Banks and analyst Jonathan “Devilwalk” Lundberg, in the latest episode of the All About Counter-Strike podcast, assessed Team Falcons’ performance at the Thunderpick World Championship 2026, discussed the reasons behind the team’s tactical failures, and commented on the roster’s chances of advancing to the third stage of the upcoming Major.
On expectations for the roster and the disappointment of star players
Devilwalk: A result like this is a real disgrace. From the perspective of professional esports players, m0NESY and NiKo must be feeling a sense of sporting shame. Any ambitious competitor feels uncomfortable even after losses in minor matches against frankly weak teams, but here the scale of the problem is entirely different. The team entered the championship as the undisputed favorite. Enormous resources were poured into this project: one of the most decorated coaches in history was brought in, along with a legendary marksman and, perhaps, the greatest in-game leader of all time. The organization boasts m0NESY—one of the greatest talents in Counter-Strike history, capable of playing with equal brilliance with both the AWP and a standard rifle. The fifth member is TeSeS, who has consistently demonstrated a high level of play and reached Major finals while still on the HEROIC roster.
With a lineup like this, the Falcons were bound to crush their opponents. Their main rivals looked extremely vulnerable: FURIA arrived at the event tired and disorganized, Legacy was plagued by internal problems, and the 9z Team roster wasn’t even half as strong as it was last year. Against the backdrop of their rivals’ struggles, the Falcons remained the top contender for the title no matter what. To lose in such a manner—and to do so in the decisive round against Aurora Gaming on Dust 2 due to a ridiculous mistake—seems almost comical.
On the roster’s individual stats and the tactical decline in the match against BetBoom Team
BanKs: The situation within the team is complicated by a number of factors. Before the third-place match, karrigan tried to justify kyousuke’s slump in an interview. The captain noted that due to his own aggressive style and frequent attempts to secure entry frags, kyousuke often finds himself in unfamiliar positions and doesn’t always manage to get into trades. At the same time, the in-game leader emphasized that anyone can have a couple of unsuccessful tournaments. Indeed, in the third-place match itself, Kyousuke stepped up and delivered an excellent performance. Looking at the overall statistics heading into the final stage, m0NESY was the team’s top performer with a rating of 1.27, ranking second overall in the tournament. NiKo followed closely behind with a rating of 1.15, kyousuke held steady at exactly 1.0, and TeSeS finished at 0.96, even though he had been extremely consistent leading up to the semifinals.
Individual highlights happen, but the overall system breaks down. In the match against BetBoom Team on Dust 2—which went into overtime and ended in a loss for the Falcons—the team let victory slip away on their own pick, despite incredible plays by their leaders. First, m0NESY secured an ace, and in the next round, NiKo pulled off a spectacular triple kill. To be gifted two rounds in a row like that and still lose the series is unacceptable for a team of this caliber. Karrigan’s comment that the team dominates the first map but then struggles immensely to close out matches points to systemic issues that the roster should no longer be facing. At critical moments, the esports players begin to act in isolation, reverting to the style of a typical mix rather than team play, which sets the Falcons back in their development.
On the team’s position in the VRS rankings ahead of the Major:
BanKs: Current results directly impact the team’s standing, as they’re missing out on the PGL Masters Bucharest 2026. The VRS points they’ve earned will be final and will determine whether the team starts its run at the next Major in Stage 2 or Stage 3.
Devilwalk: It’s safe to say that Aurora Gaming has already overtaken them in the standings.
BanKs: Yes, Aurora Gaming is ranked higher. Plus, there are other teams at the Bucharest tournament capable of pushing the Falcons down the standings. Looking at Valve’s current rankings, G2 Esports, for example, could overtake the team.
Devilwalk: Are the Falcons currently in the last spot that qualifies for the third stage?
BanKs: Yes. The tournament in Bucharest will be the final competition before the final seeding is determined. This championship is of enormous importance in terms of VRS points.
Devilwalk: The situation the Falcons find themselves in seems crazy. It’s not that they’re playing poorly, but the team certainly isn’t producing outstanding results either. The roster is stuck in limbo—despite having a wealth of talent and strong individual players, for some reason they just can’t seem to make the system work.
In the previous episode of the podcast, BanKs and Devilwalk discussed BetBoom Team’s success at the 2026 Thunderpick World Championship, talked about possible roster changes, and assessed the performance of the team’s rifler, Kirill “Magnojez” Rodnov.
Photo: StarLadder.
