LNZ on nqz’s integration: “He’s a better fit for us—and for me personally—than kl1m.”
MIBR captain Linus “LNZ” Holteng, in an interview at the 2026 Esports World Cup for CS:2, commented on the loss to Astralis and spoke about the adaptation of the team’s newcomer, Lucas “nqz” Soares.
On the loss to Astralis
On the T-side, we lost a lot of rounds after planting the bomb. We couldn’t close out a single clutch situation at all. We also lost an anti-eco early on the T-side, which threw us off a bit. But I didn’t feel like we played badly. It seemed to me that we planted the bomb in almost every round, but then we just lost every situation after that. So yes, the problem was specifically our play after planting the bomb. And on the defense side, it also didn’t help that we lost a 1v3 situation, which allowed them to start their comeback again.
On adapting to nqz
I think it went pretty smoothly, to be honest. It’s something different for him, but for me, it’s pretty straightforward. And I also feel that he’s a better fit for us—and for me personally—than kl1m, both in terms of personality and how he fits into our system. So I’m very happy with how things are set up right now, and we just need time to properly integrate him.
On the combination of European and South American styles
I don’t really think about it that much. I just do my thing and do what I think is necessary. Sometimes that might mean I adapt a little more to them. And sometimes it might mean I get a little tougher and do things my way. I think that’s exactly what you need to do when you’re a leader. You just have to lead the team, no matter how. And you need to adapt to whatever you feel is necessary.
Earlier, MIBR lost to Legacy 0–2 in the main stage of the 2026 Esports World Cup for Counter-Strike 2. As a result, Linus “LNZ” Holten’s team was eliminated from the tournament, finishing in 17th–24th place and earning $20,000 in prize money.
Photo — PGL.
