Following the conclusion of the match at Esports World Cup 2026, we spoke with FURIA coach Sid “sidde” Macedo about the match against FUT, preparing for a young and aggressive team, the map veto, and the reasons behind the defeat.
We also discussed the future of FURIA: FalleN’s retirement, the potential arrival of a new IGL, and the search for a replacement for the legendary Brazilian player, which is already underway.
During the interview, the coach explained why FUT managed to impose their fearless style of play on FURIA and how the team plans to rebuild its roster by the end of the year.
The full interview with the FURIA coach following the loss to FUT is already available on YouTube!
Did you manage to realize your game plan that you prepared for FUT, or FUT pushed you to change the strategy during the game?
I think everything we wanted to run, we ended up running. The problem in this game was not the game plan or the strategy side. A lot of the rounds that we lost were rounds that we should be closing, but in terms this final part of the round, the situational Counter-Strike, we just couldn't play to our best. So, In terms of game plan, they did what we expected them to do, and we just kept running our plan just like we imagined.
A question about veto, the maps. Why Ancient? Because I feel like for you, it's a bit not so good, why?
We just were thinking what would be more comfortable for us between Ancient and Anubis. Even though Ancient is a stronger map for them, I think we are more comfortable on Ancient than Anubis for this game. So yeah, we just decided to go with what we would perform to our biggest level.
It looks like these youngsters, because FUT is young team, they have no fear. Do you agree with this? Like in the arena.
Yeah, yeah, they have nothing to lose. They play fearless Counter-Strike, the way they approach the maps. You can tell they have some theories on playing fearless and straight to your face. It has its value, they can make this gamestyle work. And I guess it suits also their personalities and the fact that they are so young. Sometimes they are reckless, but it comes in a good way. It's difficult to play against a team like that. They are doing some things that will go a bit out of the ordinary, out of the expected things that you are playing more structured teams, you kinda know the timings, you kinda know what to expect from the most reliable strats that they use. And these guys sometimes they just don't care, they just break the rules, you know? And they are just shooting in your face, and it's very hard to play against. And yeah, they are doing pretty good, and I wish them good luck in the finals.
And for you as a coach, and for your assistant coach as well, and for example as an analyst, is it harder to prepare for this type of teams that are playing with no fear?
Honestly, I wouldn't say it's harder because we can watch their things and we know. Like when we are preparing, we're not trying to track every step that they will be taking in the map, but in general things they play according to what we watch. So it's the same preparation. I think it's even harder to prepare against teams that, for example, Vitality in prime. It was harder to prepare against them, and Falcons sometimes. But against them, it's not like something that out of preparation will happen. It's just that in moments that you don't expect things to happen, they will happen. So I would put it more like that.
I have a question in comparison to yuurih and KSCERATO. I look at them at the TV screen at the end of the map. It looks like they were flushed, they were very stressed, and the pressure on Brazilians is quite high. What do you think about it?
I think it was more about the frustration of the way we lost the game. I was also looking a bit upset after the game because, in my opinion, we should not be losing a game like that. We should be 100% of the time closing it. But sometimes it will happen, we will lose. And frustration comes from that, from knowing that we would have closed in normal conditions if we just played more mature and would have been wiser in some of these situations.
And the final question, quite a big one. What's next for FURIA? Because I talked with FalleN, he will be retiring, at least he's saying that right now he's retiring. He may say it's a million-dollar question, so we don't know. We know that YEKINDAR is getting more roles like IGLs, is calling more. It looks like the team is changing or may change. Can you give me more details about it? Your thoughts about it?
Yeah, it's a transition that we have to work with by the end of the year. FalleN is going to retire, that's what we are working with. We need to find either a new IGL or a player that will come into the team and then Mareks will start IGLing. These are the possibilities that we are working with. We just have to be prepared for whoever is going to come next after FalleN, and this is the only thing that we have in our mind — that we need to work in the background. The staff, the organization, we are all trying to find this replacement and trying to make the structure continue to work even with the change that we're going to make.
Have you already started this process? Like planning?
Yeah, yeah, we have started. We are talking to players, we are studying what's the best possibility, yeah.
So you are in the process, like looking for players, testing players?
Yeah, yeah.
Okay, so we may see a transfer at the end of the year if he will retire.
Yeah, that would be the most appropriate time because then he would be leaving and we already have a plan set for the next year.
Thank you so much
The defeat to FUT was not only the end of FURIA’s run at EWC 2026, but also the beginning of a new chapter for the team. The roster now faces changes and the search for a new IGL following FalleN’s retirement.
However, the main task remains to preserve the team’s structure and find the right solution for the next season. As the coach noted, the process has already begun — FURIA is talking to potential players and evaluating different options.
Meanwhile, as FURIA’s journey at EWC 2026 comes to an end, FUT now have a chance to continue their own fairy tale in the grand final.
“It wasn’t a surprise to me that we made the final” — Krabeni on the victory over FURIA and expectations ahead of the EWC 2026 Grand Final.
