FURIA Coach sidde Says Team’s Comfort and Confidence Matches Last Year as They Reach IEM Krakow Final

FURIA Coach sidde Says Team’s Comfort and Confidence Matches Last Year as They Reach IEM Krakow Final

FURIA’s coach Sid “sidde” Macedo believes his team is now operating with the same level of comfort they had during their successful 2025 run, as the Brazilians prepare for the best-of-five final at IEM Krakow 2026.

After advancing to the final in Poland — highlighted by a hard-fought victory over Spirit — sidde spoke with HLTV about his team’s map readiness, tactical evolution and the role of veteran leader Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo in their resurgence.

Improvement in Map Confidence

sidde acknowledged that the team’s veto process and map preparation were initially uncertain at Krakow due to unexpected opponent selections. However, through adapting strategies and reinforcing fundamentals, FURIA managed to steadily improve their performance on several maps throughout the playoffs.

Despite not having all six maps at a uniformly high level, sidde pointed to the fact that four to five maps are now reliable for the squad — giving them a strong foundation for the final. He also noted that understanding the maps likely to be played early allows the team to prepare more deeply and bring the rest of the map pool up to par.

Role of Nuke and Map Strategy

One of FURIA’s most consistent maps, Nuke, has been a strong point for the team this event, providing them with a comfort pick they can rely on even if it wasn’t initially a top choice on the veto sheet. According to sidde, results on Nuke have been especially fluid, suggesting the possibility of picking it more frequently in the future.

On other maps, such as Mirage, sidde highlighted improvements driven by internal discussions and role adjustments, turning what was once considered a weak link into a competitive map through careful preparation.

FalleN’s Leadership and Impact

sidde praised FalleN for his outstanding individual performances and for making reads that elevate the team’s overall gameplay. When the IGL is fragging well, sidde said the team’s cohesion and confidence naturally improve because FalleN’s success allows others to perform their roles with clarity and security.

Comparisons to Last Year

When asked directly about how FURIA feels compared to their peak in 2025 — when they enjoyed several strong tournament runs — sidde stated that the current comfort level mirrors that period. He specifically said: “Right now we have the same level of comfort as we had last year”, which he sees as a sign of positive trajectory and team stability.

This perspective aligns with past comments from sidde about maintaining hunger and drive after success, as he noted that the team’s ambitions go beyond just winning a few tournaments and require consistent performance and mentality.

Looking Ahead to the Final

With the final looming — against either Vitality or MOUZ — sidde expressed confidence in FURIA’s preparations, stating that they feel ready to take on the challenge in a best-of-five format, which presents a deeper tactical test than the best-of-three series earlier in Krakow.

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Context from Related Reporting

• Recent HLTV archives confirm FURIA’s deep run at IEM Krakow 2026, situating sidde’s interview in context with other major news from the event.

• Related comments from other players and coaches at the same event highlight the general theme of comfort and adaptation on stage within CS2 competition. For example, Ninjas in Pyjamas’ siuhy recently said that total comfort in Counter-Strike is seldom achieved, underscoring the competitive pressure teams face even when performing well.