Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov explained why he decided to extend his contract with Falcons through 2030, pointing to his belief in the project and the presence of Nikola “NiKo” Kovač and Danny “zonic” Sørensen as important factors.
Speaking to Dust2 Brasil ahead of Thunderpick World Championship 2026, the AWPer also discussed what Falcons need to improve and the expectations for their opening match against Ninjas in Pyjamas.
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M0NESY BELIEVES IN THE FALCONS PROJECT
Falcons recently confirmed that m0NESY had signed a new long-term contract that will keep him with the organization until 2030.
The 21-year-old said the support provided by the organization and his confidence in the current project convinced him to continue.
I believe in the team, I believe in the project. Falcons are giving us everything we need to play at the highest level. I believe we can make this team fantastic.
m0NESY originally joined Falcons in 2025, with NiKo and zonic playing an important role in his decision at the time.
Their presence was again significant when he considered extending the contract.
Before renewing, I was thinking that I wanted to stay and continue playing with both of them.
He said working with zonic had been one of his goals before joining Falcons, while reuniting with NiKo was another major reason behind the original move.
FALCONS NEED BETTER TEAMPLAY
Falcons enter Thunderpick World Championship after a quarter-final exit at ESL Pro League Season 24, where Spirit eliminated them 2:0.
Asked what needs to improve in Malta, m0NESY focused on teamplay and decision-making in important rounds.
We need to have better teamplay inside the server.
According to the AWPer, Falcons sometimes struggle to convert rounds when they have an advantage or to properly handle disadvantage situations.
He said the team needs to return to the fundamentals, including playing for each other and improving how the players work together during rounds.
M0NESY BELIEVES FALCONS CAN WIN IN MALTA
Thunderpick World Championship 2026 features eight teams competing in Malta for a $1,000,000 prize pool. Falcons share Group A with Ninjas in Pyjamas, Aurora and 9z.
m0NESY said the field remains competitive despite the absence of teams such as Vitality, Spirit and MOUZ.
CS has become the kind of game where anyone can lose to any team.
He avoided setting specific expectations but said he believes Falcons are capable of winning the tournament.
Their campaign begins against Ninjas in Pyjamas in a Bo3 Group A opening match.
m0NESY admitted he had not yet studied the opponent at the time of the interview, but said Falcons would use the remaining preparation time to review how Ninjas in Pyjamas play and identify tendencies before the match.
