YEKINDAR: “I’ve been playing CS for over 15 years, and this is my first Major final.”
FURIA rifler Marek “YEKINDAR” Galiņskis shared his thoughts in an interview at the IEM Cologne Major 2026 after advancing to the tournament final. He reflected on the support from Brazilian fans and FURIA’s performance, and also commented on Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo to retire at the end of the year.
On reaching the finals of the IEM Cologne Major 2026
I don’t even know what to say. Honestly, I’m very grateful for the opportunity to compete here. I’ve been playing CS for over 15 years, and this is my first Major final. <...> In my entire career, I’ve never had such amazing teammates or such incredible support from fans—anywhere except at FURIA.
On the support from Brazilian fans
I think it’s easier to play as the underdog when people are booing you. But knowing that there are always people nearby ready to support you allows you to consistently play at a high level. I’m very grateful to the audience at the arena—not just the FURIA fans, but the entire crowd. Thanks, guys!
On FURIA
I think we really gelled during our first tournament together—PGL Astana 2025. After that, our team just focused on fine-tuning the details. We managed to reach the Major finals despite a tough season and many difficult moments in the past for many of our players.
On FalleN’s Retirement
When FalleN announced his retirement, it wasn’t just Brazil that was sad—the entire Counter-Strike community was too. Of course, someone of his stature deserves to go out on a high note. It would be great to win a Major together. That’s our goal.
FURIA defeated Aurora Gaming 2-0 in maps during the IEM Cologne Major 2026 playoffs. YEKINDAR’s team advanced to the championship final, where they will face Team Falcons—their match is scheduled for today at 6:00 p.m. Moscow time.
