Boombl4: "Maybe in the future I will become a leader; for now I need more experience and more time"

We spoke with Natus Vincere's newest member Kirill "⁠Boombl4⁠" Mikhailov, hearing his thoughts on joining the team and defeating MOUZ.

A comeback victory over MOUZ on Train broke the European side's streak on the map and pushed Natus Vincere into an upper bracket match against Liquid, which will decide the first team to qualify for the playoffs of ESL One Cologne.

In our post-match interview with a 20-year-old player, we heard about his role, working under Danylo "⁠Zeus⁠" Teslenko, and what he thinks about the updated AUG.

I'll start with a basic question, what was getting the offer to join Na`Vi like and then joining the team, what were the first impressions?

This is the most important moment and the highest level I've reached till this day. I understand that, and I'm excited about it. After this, I'm ready to face other challenges in my life in the future.

Is it hard to come into a team like this, it is the biggest one in CIS, it has the best player in the world in it, and you are also replacing a legendary player? Do you feel extra pressure because of that?

I don't feel any pressure, I only feel that I can make this team stronger and I will do my best to improve myself in this team. I feel comfortable in the team and confident, so I'm ready to go forward.

What is your role in the team right now?
I'm the entry fragger, the person making space for the team.

Is this a role you are comfortable in, is it similar to what you played before or did you have to adapt a lot?

I played this role on QB Fire, but on Winstrike I was more of a lurker. However, it is really comfortable for me because I like to go either first or last. So it is fine.

You were in-game leading before, people have been saying that perhaps long-term you will be replacing Zeus and taking over the in-game leader role. What are your thoughts on that? What is your relationship with Zeus like right now?

I have some habits from previous teams where I was the in-game leader, so now, of course, I have some extra calls, I'm trying to help Zeus and the team to make a decision in different situations, but I understand that I'm not the team leader now and I'm trying to get some experience from the players, from a team leader like Zeus. Maybe in the future I will become a leader in a team like Na`Vi, but for now, I need more experience and more time to adapt and understand what is going.

Obviously it is your first tournament in Natus Vincere, but a lot is always expected from this team. What was the goal you set for yourself here in Cologne?

Our goal is to play a lot of matches to prepare for the Major. For me it is the first tournament so I want to win this, but the team goal is to play a lot of matches. I'm just playing and doing my best.

Let's touch on the mousesports game shortly, you decided to play Train agains them and they had a perfect record, 11-0. How did that decision come down, obviously there were other maps that seemed better to pick against them?

To be honest, we felt pretty confident against mousesports, we all knew we could win this game, no matter the map, and we relayed that to Kane. From our perspective, we were ready and the map wasn't a big issue for us.

You still play with the AUG, is that something you only do only on Train or is it viable on all of the maps now?

It is viable on some maps. I'm playing popdog on Train and AUG can kill with the first shot into the head on that distance, so I'm picking it sometimes. It is really good on Train, there are so many angles you can peek. On other maps, I play with M4. But the new AUG is fu**ing shit, really. (laughs)