FOKUS Make Counter-Strike Return With New International Roster Led by Veteran Coach kuben

FOKUS Make Counter-Strike Return With New International Roster Led by Veteran Coach kuben

German esports organization FOKUS has formally announced its entry into Counter-Strike with a newly formed international roster under the guidance of experienced coach Jakub “kuben” Gurczyński, marking his return to active coaching nearly 18 months after being benched by ENCE in August 2024.

Leadership and Coaching Background

• kuben, a well-known personality in the Counter-Strike community, has coached several prominent teams throughout his career, including ENCE and Virtus.pro. After his departure from ENCE in 2024, this new role with FOKUS represents his first coaching engagement in the competitive scene since then.

• In his comments to HLTV, kuben explained that he was “quietly waiting for the right moment to return to work” and believes FOKUS found the right balance of ambition and long-term vision to justify his involvement.

The New International Lineup

The FOKUS roster blends a mixture of seasoned professionals and rising stars from across Europe:

• Erik “ztr” Gustafsson – Swedish in-game leader, previously benched by GamerLegion.

• Sebastian “volt” Maloș – Romanian rifler, also a former GamerLegion player and competitor at the Paris Major with Into the Breach in 2023.

• Georgi “Jorko” Mitev – 17-year-old Bulgarian AWPer, ranked No. 29 in HLTV’s latest Prospect Report and a standout performer at DraculaN Season 4.

• Mateo “Matheos” Prišlin – Croatian rifler, previously teamed with Jorko on CPH Wolves.

• Matias “Banjo” Kivistö – Finnish player coming off a stint with Fire Flux.

Alongside kuben as head coach, the staff also includes assistant coach Kacper “kapibe” Burda.

FOKUS’ Path Into CS2

FOKUS’ Counter-Strike project took some twists before its current unveiling. Initially, FOKUS signed a Polish lineup formerly known as ESC — ranked 42nd globally — and played under the name Friendly Campers at events such as DraculaN and Urban Riga Open Season 2. However, the organization decided against moving forward with that roster, opting instead to build this fresh international core with kuben at the helm.

FOKUS is set to make its first LAN appearance with the new roster at Urban Riga Open 3, scheduled for March 23-24, 2026.

Team Rank and Status

According to HLTV team overviews, FOKUS currently sits outside the top echelons of the world rankings as it begins its competitive journey with the newly announced lineup, reflecting the team’s recent formation and lack of official match history thus far.