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Times have been tough for Furia lately. From being a staple in Major playoff contention, the team has found itself eliminated 0-3 in the Legends Stage of the last two Majors.
To make matters worse, they failed to qualify for the playoffs at the PGL Copenhagen Major, and this situation is no coincidence.
In both IEM Katowice and IEM Cologne, two grand stage events, they fell short in the qualifiers. In this period, Furia’s only title triumph was at the Elisa Espoo Masters, a small glimmer of glory for a team aspiring for championship contention.
The signing of Brazilian legend Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo was supposed to alleviate these issues and help Furia refine their tactical approach, which had become inefficient. However, with Andrei “arT” Piovezan taking over the in-game leader (IGL) role from FalleN, the recruitment of FalleN proved to be more of a stop-gap solution.
With arT now departed and his temporary replacement Kayke Bertolucci “kye” struggling in EPL S19, Furia might need further adjustments.
Otherwise, as many analysts predict, Furia risks losing their star player Kaike “KSCERATO” Cerato, a disaster they cannot afford.
So, given this context, what should they do?
Scouting Talent
Furia is not currently a complete roster, but would finding a new fifth member solve all problems?
If, like many, you believe it won’t, if Furia decides on a rebuild, which players should they focus on?
Brazil is rich in CS:GO talent, but most teams rely on exceptional scouting to connect with these prodigies.
“Normally, I’d support giving players a chance, but if FalleN implies that Furia’s academy players are on the level of Imperial’s noway/decenty or MIBR’s insani, that’s a disaster.
Please don’t waste KSCERATO’s talent; we could’ve had a more competitive Brazilian roster.”
While this might mean any roster reshuffle Furia makes to regain top form will come at a premium, it also means they may have a better understanding of who they’re signing.
If Furia embarks on a rebuild, whom should they target to create a Brazilian super-team?
Starting from Scratch
There have always been gaps in Furia’s leadership, so there’s no better place to start than with the in-game leader role.
FalleN is one of the greatest IGLs in CS history, with an impressive résumé, but is he the right fit for this squad?
If Furia trusts FalleN’s leadership, why did they let arT take over the IGL role in the first place?
Of course, these are speculations, possibly related to arT’s influence within the team or his relationship with coach Nicholas “guerri” Nogueira, which fans and analysts have pondered.
Fortunately, FalleN isn’t the only IGL in Brazilian CS.
Rodrigo “biguzera” Bittencourt has successfully transitioned into an IGL role in the past 18 months, delivering impressive results with paiN despite significant roster changes. He led them to two Majors and the EPL S19 playoffs.
The biggest upside of bringing biguzera to Furia is his potential.
Biguzera is a CT-side star-position IGL, but unlike others, he can also deliver star-player level stats.
In 2024, his HLTV rating stands at 1.14, and more impressively, it rises to 1.24 against the top 10 teams.
This is the type of player Furia is looking for, someone who can maintain high-quality leadership while doing so, making him invaluable.
Sniper Conundrum
If biguzera takes the IGL spot, who should shoulder the AWP?
Would FalleN, without the IGL role, still provide enough support with the game’s most important weapon?
In 2024, FalleN’s HLTV rating is 1.06. Not outstanding, but considering Furia’s struggles this year, it’s not terrible either.
However, his rating drops against top-10 opponents, averaging 1.00, and against the top five, it plummets to 0.74. This could be problematic if Furia hopes to return to playoff contention.
Other Brazilian Snipers
Let’s look at biguzera’s paiN teammate Lucas “nqz” Soares.
A standout in 9z’s lineup during the 2022 IEM Rio Major, nqz’s performance dipped after joining 00NATION and faded from the spotlight.
Now with paiN, nqz shone at the PGL Copenhagen Major, re-entering public consciousness.
Though inexperienced at elite events outside of Majors and EPL, nqz is one of Brazil’s most impressive snipers domestically.
nqz’s HLTV rating is 1.12, slightly higher than FalleN, but he hasn’t faced any top-five opponents in 2024.
His rating dips to 0.99 against top-10 teams and 1.04 against top-30 opponents, suggesting that paiN’s level is below that of its peers, or nqz’s inexperience could be a factor.
Another option is Imperial’s Henrique “HEN1” Teles, who played for Furia from 2019 to 2021, making him familiar with both the CS elite scene and the Furia organization.
As one of Brazil’s most experienced players, HEN1’s 2024 HLTV rating is 1.12, matching nqz’s.
Despite these similarities, HEN1’s experience is crucial compared to nqz. Additionally, HEN1 possesses a unique trait – when on fire, he’s virtually unstoppable. If HEN1 can replicate his previous form with Furia, he could single-handedly transform the team into a formidable competitor.
Indeed, any of these snipers could fit a rejuvenated Furia. F