phzy on His New Start With Astralis: “I’ve Shown Glimpses of What I Can Do”
phzy on His New Start With Astralis: “I’ve Shown Glimpses of What I Can Do”
Swedish AWPer Love “phzy” Smidebrant recently spoke about his renewed confidence after joining Astralis, framing his current situation as a fresh chance to unlock the potential he’s shown sporadically throughout his career.
After a turbulent 2025 in which he moved between Wildcard and 9INE in multiple stints — including loans and a contract buy-out — phzy has finally found more stability under the storied Danish organization’s new Counter-Strike 2 project.
“Hopefully this is the right team to do it in,” he said in a post-match interview at IEM Kraków 2026 Stage 1. The Swedish star acknowledged that, while he’s demonstrated flashes of elite performance both at Wildcard and during occasional stand-ins for Ninjas in Pyjamas (NiP), the next step is consistency — something he sees as achievable with Astralis.
From Instability to Structure
phzy’s words highlight a broader narrative of his career over the past year. After beginning 2025 with Wildcard, he was recalled mid-season from a loan to 9INE, then re-signed and quickly saw his buy-out clause triggered — leaving 9INE before he’d played a single match for them.
That chaotic cycle, he noted, was mentally and physically demanding. “It was hard … a lot of travel and a lot of uncertainty,” he said, reflecting on the difficulty of juggling organizational shifts and focusing on competitive CS during that period.
Now, in contrast, phzy’s environment feels more settled — part of a team with clear goals and leadership. He credited this for giving him a better foundation to focus on his individual play style and team synergy.
Astralis’ Strategic Shift: Going International
Astralis’ offseason moves add an important context to phzy’s comments. In early January 2026, the organization officially signed both phzy and Lithuanian rifler Gytis “ryu” Glušauskas, finalizing its 2026 roster and marking a strategic shift to an international lineup with English as the team’s main language.
This represented a departure from Astralis’ traditional Danish identity: historically, Astralis prided itself on a predominantly Danish roster and national setup. But with the departures of stars like Magisk and device in late 2025, the organization opted to widen its talent pool and bring in new blood.
According to Astralis CEO Jonas Gundersen, both phzy and ryu were brought in not just for their raw ability, but because they fit the tactical and cultural direction Astralis intends to pursue under coach ruggah and in-game leader HooXi.
Reddit threads and fan discussion around the signing reflected a mix of skepticism and cautious optimism — particularly because Astralis’ roster identity had been so firmly Danish for years. Many supporters described the shift as unusual but understood it as a necessary evolution if the team wants to remain competitive at the highest level.
Success at IEM Kraków: A Confidence Boost
Astralis showed early signs that the new roster could gel under pressure. At IEM Kraków 2026 Stage 1, they opened with a convincing 2-0 win over paiN Gaming in the upper bracket’s first round — a positive result for a roster still in its infancy.
In that match, phzy contributed with a solid statistical performance (approximately 1.17 rating on the day), showing his ability to perform in a competitive LAN environment — an encouraging indicator to back up his statements about consistency and potential.
Astralis’ gameplay in Kraków has been built around disciplined team play and structure, priorities that align with phzy’s role as an AWPer and tactical contributor. His experiences across multiple international squads likely help in adapting to Astralis’ multi-national setup.
Phzy’s Vision: Goals and Expectations
When asked about Astralis’ goals at the event, phzy was clear about the team’s mindset: first reach Stage 2, and only then focus on deeper aspirations like playoffs and making a deep run. Taking the tournament one step at a time, phzy suggested, is the best way to build confidence and team cohesion.
His remarks mirror the organization’s broader philosophy: Astralis isn’t looking for instant results based solely on prestige. Rather, it wants a measured development trajectory, combining young talent like phzy and ryu with the experienced core of HooXi, jabbi, and Staehr.
Looking Ahead
It’s still early in the season, and the Astralis rebuild is far from complete. But phzy’s candid reflection — that he has shown glimpses of excellence but now must sustain that level more consistently — encapsulates both his personal challenge and Astralis’ competitive ambition heading into 2026’s key events.
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