“Our team gave it our all”—Aurora Gaming players reacted to their elimination from the IEM Cologne Major 2026
Members of Aurora Gaming’s Counter-Strike 2 roster posted on their personal pages on social media platform X, commenting on their team’s elimination from the IEM Cologne Major 2026.
Ismailjan “XANTARES” Dörtkardesh noted Aurora Gaming’s subpar performance in the semifinals and thanked the fans for their support:
We lost to FURIA 0-2 in the semifinals and were eliminated from the Major.
Unfortunately, we weren’t able to perform at the level we wanted. We wanted to achieve more for the Turkish CS scene, but it didn’t work out this time. A huge thank you to everyone who supported us both online and at the arena. It’s time to take a little break so we can come back even stronger next season.
Sniper Özgür “woxic” Eker was also disappointed with the outcome of the match against FURIA:
Unfortunately, we ended our run at the Major on a sad note. We really wanted to make it to the finals and lift the trophy. We were eager to see the fruits of our hard work and share that joy with our families and everyone who supports us in every match. However, our elimination from the tournament prevented us from achieving our goal.
It’s hard for me to come to terms with this loss. When we took the stage, we set ourselves a single goal—to win the Major and give our fans a reason to be proud. Our team gave it our all at this tournament. I want to thank everyone for their support and faith in us.
For his part, rifler Janer “soulfly” Kesichi noted his team’s historic achievement:
We did everything we could, but in the end, we lost. We’re very sorry.
I’m very proud of my teammates. No matter how disappointed we are by this loss, we mustn’t forget that our team has made history in the Majors as the best Turkish squad. We thank everyone who supported us and stood by us. We’re sad today, but we’re not giving up.
Aurora Gaming captain Engin “MAJ3R” Kupeli wrote that you shouldn’t give up after a single loss:
Last night was tough, but dreams don’t die after a single loss. People may criticize you and say you’re not good enough. Don’t listen to the noise. Believe in yourself—fall down, get back up, and keep going. Never live with regrets. You have to chase your dream to the very end. See you soon.
Aurora Gaming lost to FURIA in the semifinals of the IEM Cologne Major 2026 with a map score of 0–2 (9–13 on Dust2 and 4–13 on Nuke). The Turkish team finished the tournament in 3rd–4th place and received $80,000 in prize money.
