As Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo nears his expected retirement at the end of the season, FURIA is facing questions regarding the future leadership of the Brazilian roster. Mareks “YEKINDAR” Gaļinskis is currently acting as the in-game leader on select maps, allowing the organization to evaluate their tactical options before a permanent change is required.
Testing the waters in official matches
Ahead of BLAST Open Porto 2026, YEKINDAR addressed the possibility of him taking over the role full-time. The Latvian player explained that calling on specific maps allows both him and the organization to assess the fit without fully committing right away.
Yeah, probably not,” YEKINDAR said when asked if he will become the full-time caller soon. “Well, the thing is, it was a natural step for us in some maps in terms of for me to kind of try and understand if that is what the team wants to stick with, is that what I want to stick with. At the end of the day, there are still a lot of uncertainties in terms of the options that are going to be possible in the future after FalleN retires. That is why we are experimenting, not only with the map pool but also with this part.
Balancing leadership and mechanical form
Transitioning to an in-game leader requires significant focus on team structure, which frequently impacts mechanical performance. YEKINDAR feels he is currently at a peak in his individual form, making him hesitant to fully adopt the leadership position.
I still have not made my mind up, and personally, I only remembered how ungrateful it is to be an IGL,” YEKINDAR explained. “It is very hard to put your ego aside and be a good role player, because I do consider that I am still playing my best CS that I have played in my career. It would be hard to put that away to become a true leader, but if it has to happen, then maybe it is going to happen.
YEKINDAR has previously tried the in-game leader role when he played for Team Liquid.
Approaching the rest of the season
While the situation presents a choice between prioritizing individual output and team necessity, YEKINDAR does not view the current transitional period as a direct conflict of interest. The roster is utilizing official matches to gather data before making any permanent structural decisions.
No, I mean, we are trying out a couple of things,” YEKINDAR concluded regarding his current situation. “I do not think there is specifically a dilemma. I think it is more dependent on what the future holds. I am just kind of working on what I have in front of me right now. And yeah, that is basically it.
FURIA plays their local rivals from paiN tomorrow in the first match of the BLAST Open Porto 2026.
