Phantom Revamp CS2 Lineup with ex-Inner Circle Core

Phantom have officially rebuilt their CS2 roster by signing the former ex-Inner Circle trio of Wiktor “mynio” Kruk, Kamil “KEi” Pietkun and Kacper “Kylar” Walukiewicz. The Polish core will now compete alongside Brajan “DGL” Lemecha and Jakub “Kunai” Gieremek, with Dawid “lunAtic” Cieślak remaining as head coach.

New Phantom Roster

Signed from ex-Inner Circle:

Wiktor “mynio” Kruk (IGL)

Kamil “KEi” Pietkun

Kacper “Kylar” Walukiewicz

Retained from the previous Phantom lineup:

Brajan “DGL” Lemecha (AWPer)

Jakub “Kunai” Gieremek

Coach:

Dawid “lunAtic” Cieślak

As part of the overhaul, Mateusz “TOAO” Zawistowski, Aleksy “Ayteel” Landas and Hubert “szejn” Światły have all been moved to the bench.

A major consequence of this signing is that Phantom inherit the ex-Inner Circle core’s Valve Ranking System position—placing them around #66 instead of their previous ~#133. This should provide better invites, stronger seeding and overall improved competitive opportunities.

From Inner Circle to Phantom: How the Move Happened

The Inner Circle Era

Earlier in 2025, Inner Circle built a Polish lineup featuring:

the former 9INE trio (mynio, KEi, Kylar),

joined by Olek “hades” Miskiewicz and Szymon “kRaSnaL” Mrozek.

However, after just two months and results that did not meet expectations, the organization benched and transfer-listed the entire roster. Inner Circle then shifted directions, signing a new team built around the former TNL roster under coach Dmytro “jR” Chervak.

ex-Inner Circle and the Birch Cup Run

The benched Polish five continued playing under the name ex-Inner Circle, maintaining their ranking and competitive slots.

They delivered a strong performance at Birch Cup 2025, finishing second place after beating teams such as fnatic, BIG, and Partizan, ultimately falling to 9INE in the grand final. This run stabilized their standing in the global rankings and increased interest from potential organizations.

The Trio Looks for a New Home

On November 6, 2025, mynio, KEi, and Kylar declared free agency. They emphasized their intention to stay together as a three-man core and bring their ranking to a new organization.

Six days later, Phantom was revealed as that new home.

Reactions from Players and the Organization

mynio: “Good to be back in a Polish organization”

In his statement on X, mynio expressed enthusiasm about joining Phantom, saying that it felt good to return to a Polish organization and that both sides shared similar ambitions. He concluded with “time to get back to work.”

Kylar: “We’re joining Phantom with our core”

Kylar echoed positive feelings in his own social media post, highlighting that the trio would stay together, continue grinding, and that he was happy negotiations concluded quickly so they could start competing again.

Phantom’s Statement

Phantom confirmed the signing and acknowledged the benching of TOAO, Ayteel, and szejn, stating that the club aims to “create a new quality” in the Polish CS2 scene.

TOAO: “I didn’t expect it, but I’m proud of what we built”

Former IGL TOAO shared a candid reaction, admitting he didn’t expect the change but was proud of the progress the team had made. He wished the players and the organization success going forward.

What Phantom Gain with This Move

Proven Core Synergy

The trio has a long history together dating back to 9INE in 2023, where they gained international recognition.

Strong Recent Results

The ex-Inner Circle lineup displayed top-40 form and reached the Birch Cup grand final, showing they can compete with established European teams.

Significant Ranking Boost

By adopting the core’s VRS position, Phantom jump from ~#133 to ~#66, instantly improving their competitive prospects.

Experienced Leadership & Firepower

mynio, a seasoned IGL, reunites with familiar teammates KEi and Kylar, while DGL brings strong firepower and lunAtic continues guiding the team from behind the scenes.

Although Phantom currently have no major achievements listed on their competitive record, this roster overhaul marks the organization’s most ambitious move to date and positions them to make a meaningful impact on the CS2 scene.