FalleN: “I have a great team, and that’s the main reason why I decided to play a little longer this year.”

I feel great, I’m very happy. I think we played excellent CS today. There were a couple of “game-changing” moments from YEKINDAR: he took control of the game, came up with a lot of ideas, and acted on them, especially in the second half of the last map. Everyone played wonderfully; I’m happy with my team and another 3-0 result in the group stage. Now we need to keep fighting and move forward.

To be honest, when your career has been this long, you stop setting goals for tournaments that are anything less than making the playoffs. Throughout my journey and development, I’ve always embraced every victory, every event invitation, and every opportunity with a big smile, enjoying everything I learned and discovered. But right now, I just don’t want to lose: it’s so hard and takes so much energy that I want to avoid defeat at all costs. So, yes, I feel a certain sense of relief. I can also add: specifically in this tournament, we knew that matches with a score of 2-1 or 2-2 would be extremely grueling, so advancing without any slip-ups is absolutely crucial for us.

I wouldn’t say I’m feeling any extra pressure just because this is potentially my last tournament in Cologne. Most likely because there are still many other championships ahead. Right now, it’s more important to enjoy the game and have a blast, as I mentioned earlier in an interview. It’s all a bit like a roller coaster: there are days when I feel like singing Justin Bieber’s “Is It Too Late to Say I’m Sorry Now,” and there are moments when I feel like it’s time to wrap things up as soon as possible. I don’t know, these feelings are hard to explain. I’ve been performing for too long—more than twenty years now—and sometimes that comes with its challenges. I have a wonderful team, and that’s the main reason why I decided to keep playing a little longer this year. I feel like we have a special connection, we’re close-knit, and I get incredible joy from performing with these guys. I like watching them start to take on more and more responsibility, and I can say this: even after I stop going online with them, I’ll still be there for them forever.