FUT Esports has established itself at the top of competitive Counter-Strike in 2026. Following a tournament victory at PGL Bucharest in the spring and a grand final appearance at the Esports World Cup in Paris, the roster currently sits at number three on the Valve Regional Standings. Prior to the BLAST Open Porto event, the organization secured its core by renewing the contracts of Dmytro “dem0n” Myroshnychenko, András “coolio” Fercsák, and Džiugas “dziugss” Steponavičius.
Speaking at the media day in Copenhagen, Džiugas “dziugss” Steponavičius detailed the team’s rapid ascent, their tactical philosophy, and his expectations for the remainder of the season.
Adjusting to the professional circuit
The 17-year-old Lithuanian rifler expressed satisfaction with the team’s transition to tier one competition. While the matches themselves are rewarding, the surrounding obligations require adjustment.
To be honest, it’s fun to be part of the tier one scene, but the media days are boring,” Džiugas “dziugss” Steponavičius said. “But other than that, yeah, it’s really amazing.
The recent run at the Esports World Cup in Paris brought a substantial financial reward and reinforced their position among the elite.
It was really good,” he noted regarding the Paris event. “It was my first time also in Paris, France. The tournament was really good. Like we finished second place even though we could have won it, but I really liked it there.
Reflecting on the prize money and his career path, the player acknowledged the benefits of their deep tournament runs.
It feels really great because that was let’s say my plan A and I kind of didn’t have any plan B’s,” he explained. “Just when you go up one place, you get a lot of money and yeah, it just feels nice.
Evaluating the global rankings
Despite reaching number three in the world on the Valve Regional Standings, the team maintains a grounded perspective regarding their status. When asked if they feel like a definitive top three roster, the answer was clear.
Not at all, honestly,” Džiugas “dziugss” Steponavičius stated. “But it’s still nice that we are top three. I think we almost guaranteed the invite to the major and yeah it feels really nice.
He identified Team Vitality and Team Falcons as the current leaders in Counter-Strike, with the third position remaining open among several contenders. Instead of focusing on global rankings, his personal goal centers on tournament consistency.
I think my goal, like my personal goal, was to go to the playoffs in EWC and yeah, we made it to the finals. It was really unexpected,” he said. “I think to be consistent in the playoffs in every tier one tournament. That would be the goal for me.
Tactical identity and leadership
FUT Esports has developed a reputation for a highly aggressive playstyle, characterized by frequent peeking and fast-paced engagements. The team views this approach as their primary advantage on the server.
I think that’s our strength,” Džiugas “dziugss” Steponavičius emphasized. “I think we’re playing good when we’re aggressive. We like the chaos. So, I think we won’t change it for sure.
This system is directed by their in-game leader, who maintains a demanding environment to ensure the team executes their game plan.
He’s a really good leader in the team. I really like playing with him,” he said about his captain. “He’s strict when things let’s say are not going our way and maybe like he’s strict when we for example if we don’t listen to him. He is really strict like he wants to win, his mindset is to win.
The recent addition of Yasin “xfl0ud” Koç has also contributed to the team’s tactical structure.
He’s a really good teammate. He’s talking a lot. He’s helping us,” Džiugas “dziugss” Steponavičius noted. “He also has some experience. So, it’s been nice with him.
Expectations for BLAST Open Porto
At the BLAST Open Porto event, FUT Esports faces a tough opening matchup against Legacy. The tournament serves as another opportunity to test their consistency against the best rosters in the world.
When discussing expectations for the event in Portugal, the focus remains on reaching the arena stage.
For this tournament I think to go playoffs as I said before, I think to go playoffs would be nice for me,” Džiugas “dziugss” Steponavičius concluded. “And from then I think everything is just extra.
Asked if reaching the playoffs is now the absolute minimum expectation going forward, his answer was definitive.
For me, yes. I don’t know for the others, but for me, yes.
