TeSeS: “Yes, those losses frustrate us — but they also fuel our drive to get better”
TeSeS: “Yes, those losses frustrate us — but they also fuel our drive to get better”
Falcons continue their hunt for glory — and make no apologies for their losses
René "TeSeS" Madsen, rifler for Falcons, admitted the string of recent close calls is “frustrating,” but insisted the setbacks have only strengthened the team’s resolve. Speaking to HLTV.org upon arriving in Budapest for the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, he laid bare the emotional toll and the silver lining behind another trophy run that came up short.
Falcons — fresh off a runner-up finish behind FURIA at BLAST Rivals Hong Kong 2025 — have now endured yet another near miss since integrating stars like Maxim "kyousuke" Lukin and Ilya "m0NESY" Osipov into the roster.
“Getting those losses of course frustrates us, but it also fuels us to get better at the next event,” TeSeS said. “At some point we’ll get there and get that trophy.”
The Major is Falcons’ biggest target this year — a goal they have repeated often and one that seems nearly in reach, until small margins betray them at the last moment.
Lessons learned: from Austin fatigue to a calmer, steadier approach
A major turning point for Falcons came after their first attempt at a Major in Austin, where an intense bootcamp left them mentally and physically exhausted — a factor TeSeS admitted contributed to their underwhelming performance.
Learning from that, the team changed their preparation strategy for Budapest. Instead of burning out with heavy bootcamps, they opted for a more measured approach: returning home, relaxing, and then entering the Major “like any other tournament.” This helped reduce stress and presumably sharpened their readiness.
TeSeS emphasized that this recalibrated preparation had paid off in their consistency. Since their re-tooling at IEM Cologne 2025, the team has shown stronger starts in group stages and progressively improved across events.
On chasing consistency: “It’s always about the small things”
TeSeS didn’t shy away from acknowledging the cruel reality of elite esports — often, victories hinge on tiny moments. In the Hong Kong final against FURIA, Falcons pushed the series into overtime twice, only to see small errors cost them dearly. “There are many small things that go wrong,” he said.
He noted that despite the disappointment, the team has been steadily evolving since Cologne, learning from each tournament and adjusting accordingly. The hope is that those incremental improvements — in teamwork, preparation, mental resilience — will compound into tangible success.
Mindset matters: hunger, patience and the will to win
For TeSeS (age 24) and his teammates, the hunger for a trophy remains as burning as ever. “We’ve done everything we could — the pieces, the preparation, everything is there,” he said. More than confidence, it’s patience and perseverance that define their journey now.
While the wins have been elusive, Falcons’ core belief is simple: stay resilient, stay hungry — and eventually, success will come. “If not now, next time,” TeSeS affirmed.
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