MAJ3R: "We need to play to the standard that we played against Astralis"

The Turkish captain took some time to give us his thoughts on his squad's first day at the second European RMR.

Eternal Fire went 1-1 in the first day of play at the BLAST.tv Paris Major Europe RMR B with an opening loss to Ninjas in Pyjamas followed by a victory against Astralis. The Turkish side now have the task of facing none other than the fifth best team in the world, Cloud9, in the final round of best-of-ones.

The team's captain, Engin "⁠MAJ3R⁠" Küpeli, shared his thoughts on how meaningful it would be to make the Paris Major for him, as someone born and raised in the city, as well as the importance of reaching the last CS:GO Major for the only Turkish squad at the qualifier. He also briefly touched on the team's first matches at the RMR and what the team needs to qualify. "Believing is half of the job," he says.

What are your first impressions after the first day? You've played two teams that were big in the past and are now having their own struggles, NIP and Astralis, and went 1-1.

I think the first match against NIP, it was bad for us in terms of the veto because we like Mirage, but we knew they were also good on it and we didn't have much choice. Their map pool was better, so Mirage was a bit of a trip. We did our best, but we made some mistakes.

After that, Astralis, I think in the veto it was better for us because we got to play the map we wanted against them. We played really well, we went like 9-6 on the T side, but we lost like five clutches. Every round we lost was really close, so I think we played CS really well against them. We played bad against NIP, but I'm happy that we finished the day on this note, with the win against Astralis.

Coming here, tell me a bit about how the team is feeling. You guys haven't always had the most stable roster, people coming in, people going out, you were out for a while and came back in. Where are you at right now? Are you finally gelling?

To be honest, I also don't know where we're at. [laughs] I just know that everyone here is doing their best for the Turkish scene, we're the only Turkish team, and it's important for us to be present at the last CS:GO Major. Also for me, because I was born in Paris, I spent 25 years of my life in Paris, so playing the last CS:GO Major in Paris is important for me. Also because I don't know how many years I'm still going to be playing.

For the team, I don't know where we are, but we try our best and I think we are like black and white. One day we can beat everyone, to be honest, but another day we can lose against everyone. The most important thing for us is to play every day the way we played against Astralis. Every day, every day. It's about discipline, and other things also, but our standard has to be like how we played against Astralis. We will try our best as a team to do that.

You mention that it's important for you, personally, to make it to Paris, and as a Turkish team for the Turkish scene. You made it with this core to a Major before, and have some new guys that weren't with you when you played your last Major with Space Soldiers, but knowing that you've been there, do you think about it at all?

Yeah, I truly believe that we can do it. We did it with Space Soldiers in 2018, we played some Majors. Calyx and XANTARES were there with me, paz and ngiN were there also at the time. To be honest, we can do it. The past is in the past, we did our best in the past, today is a new day.

We need to focus on today, it's a different system. I had a different system in Space Soldiers, because my players were different. Today I have other players and another system. I don't know which system is better, but I try my best with this system, with the players I have. I believe in them, I believe in my boys, and I believe in myself also. Like we say, believing is half of the job, so we do it! [laughs]

You have some strong shooters, XANTARES is a top-rated player above 27, becoming a veteran, and you have xfl0ud. Tell me a bit about him. What has it been like bringing him on to the team?

In my system he's my support player, throwing nades, being a little lurker, a little more passive. He has potential, but he hasn't shown it yet because he lacks some experience or believing in himself. But I believe in him! Maybe more than he believes it himself, so I hope he will show every talent he has at this RMR. It's important for us as a team that he shows up on the scoreboard because he plays late clutches, he's always in the late situations, so it's important for him to play well.

But yeah, I have good shooters on my team, there are also some problems, but every team has some issues to fix — also us. We need to play to the standard that we played against Astralis, I'll say it again, if we play like this we have a chance. If we play like against NIP, I don't think it's going to be possible.

Do you think you have that bit extra this time around?

This group is more stacked, so I think it's harder than RMR A, but I think it's possible for us, and we'll do our best!