NiKo on Team Falcons’ CS2 roster: “We felt the pressure from the very beginning, ever since this team was formed.”
Team Falcons CS2 rifler Nikola “NiKo” Kovač shared his plans for the future in an interview at BLAST Bounty Summer 2026 and also listed the challenges his team has faced.
On Future Plans
Even before we won the Major, I was motivated to win other tournaments. I’d say it’s easy for me to motivate myself. But it hasn’t just been motivation that’s always driven me forward—it’s also been discipline, my love for the game, and the work I do. Now, as I’ve mentioned a couple of times, I’d like to leave my mark on history. Having won a Major, I can now achieve something even greater. I have a great team, and together we can accomplish a lot. It’s nice to start the season after finishing the previous one on a high note.
On the Pressure
We’ve felt the pressure from the very beginning, ever since this team was formed. Everyone is watching us, regardless of whether we win or lose our matches. But now, I think things are a little different, since expectations are higher.
On the start of the season
The first event of the season always helps us see what we still need to work on, as well as get back into shape—both individually and as a team—and improve our communication.
On Team Falcons’ challenges
For a long time, we struggled in decisive matches, finals, and semifinals. We just couldn’t seem to win or perform at the same level as we did in the group stage. We discussed this, and I think we were too focused on winning, which got to us emotionally. And that’s exactly what we changed after the CS Asia Championships 2026 and leading up to the Major: we started to enjoy performing on stage more and simply have fun playing the game.
Earlier today, Team Falcons fell short against 100 Thieves, losing 2–1 in maps in a match at BLAST Bounty Summer 2026. As a result, Finn “karrigan” Andersen’s team was eliminated from the tournament in 17th–32nd place, while their opponent advanced to the next round.
Daria Ushakova
