
paiN Gaming sniper Rafael “saffee” Costa spoke in an interview at the Esports World Cup 2026 about the victory over Wildcard, assessed Rodrigo “biguzera” Bittencourt’s performance in the previous match, and reflected on The MongolZ’s playing style.
I think we got off to a decent start on Inferno, but we made a few mistakes and weren’t able to close out the game. Then we managed to pick up the pace on Nuke and Mirage—those were two really strong maps for us. Overall, we just showed some great teamwork.
biguzer played exceptionally well and delivered a strong performance. He also won a crucial 1v3 clutch that stopped Wildcard’s comeback. When he managed to take down the first two opponents, I knew right away that we’d secured that round.
The MongolZ plays a very aggressive style. Their players are constantly trying to create chaos on the server and secure some entry frags. It’s tough to counter this team—you always have to be on your toes. I think we’re in for an interesting match. I believe in myself and my team—we can win.
Yesterday, paiN Gaming defeated Wildcard 2-1 in the main stage of the Esports World Cup 2026. The Brazilian team is now facing off against The MongolZ—the winning team will secure a spot in the tournament’s playoffs.
Photo by Luc Bouchon, ESL.