molodoy: “I’ll try to play aggressive again”

In April, Danil “⁠molodoy⁠” Golubenko spoke about how in his rookie year, when he placed sixth on the Top 20, he was not always playing for the team.

It was that individualistic style of ultra-aggressive AWPing that got molodoy and FURIA into trophy-winning form. His flashy nature, with repeeks that slower snipers could not get away with, was fascinating to watch as FURIA went on a winter run of back-to-back trophies.

As winter approaches one year later, molodoy is in a different place as a player. After a 1.20 rating against top five teams last year, he sits at a 0.99 for 2026 so far. With only a 1.06 in playoffs this year, too, his sophomore year is proving to be a difficult one when you compare it to the lofty standards he set himself last time out.

He has been frank about his struggles with the news of Gabriel “⁠FalleN⁠” Toledo’s impending retirement. He’s also had issues with intraocular pressure, which are now improving. But it is about in-game too, for the young Kazakh.

“I wanted to try to fix my game, but already, after China, I didn’t want to fix it anymore,” molodoy said. “For me, it’s better to play sometimes by yourself. I need to play more aggressive because it’s my style. For me, it works, and I don’t need to stop this.”

Listen to the interview here

I just wanted to ask about having some time off, because you played so many events in a row. How has it been to be at home?

It’s good when you have time to go home. But it’s not much, we stayed one week at home. It’s not much, but it’s good when you go home and see your family. It relaxes your mind. It’s good.

Was it enough time? Is the team refreshed enough for this event?

It’s hard to say. You’ll see only [after] a long time, but maybe for the first time I’ll say yes. Long-term, we need to see how it is, but probably I’ll say good.

How is your eye issue going? Have you got any update on that?

My eye is better, but I would not say I still have a problem. I need to just use meds for eyes a little bit, and it’s good. Already good.

How much did you think that affected you in the server? Was it quite tough to deal with?

It’s hard to play because I have pressure in my eyes. When I was trying to focus in the game, you know, it’s hard to explain — if people have this, people understand me what is this, but if people don’t have this, they don’t understand — but when you are trying to focus, you have some problem in eyes, it’s kind of a pain in your eyes, and it’s bad. But it’s already good now. I don’t need to say anything.

So did it reduce how much you could play? Was looking at screens painful and everything?

I just could not focus. I don’t know how to explain.

I also wanted to ask about your form this year, because last year you were, like, 1.20 versus top-five teams or something. You were really good against the strongest teams, and then this year it’s been a bit more difficult. What do you think that’s down to?

I’ll say we are not playing well against the good teams, and we are trying to find ourselves because we don’t have time to find ourselves. It’s already two months before Major, I think one, and we have six events or five events before Major. But we are trying to do our best, first of all. Secondly, we need to just try to believe we can win all the games.

And yeah, I’ll say why I play bad, it’s hard to explain. I wanted to try to fix my game, but already, not now, after China, I didn’t want to fix it anymore, I’ll try to play aggressive again.

It was in February you said, ‘I want to be more of a team player.’ How do you think that’s gone? Do you think that’s limited some of the aggressiveness that you could have done?

For me, it’s better to play sometimes by yourself. I need to play more aggressive because it’s my style. For me, it works, and I don’t need to stop this.

So the repeeks are back.

Yeah. Yeah.

That’s going to be entertaining at least. And also tell me a bit about the last few events with FalleN. You get asked all the time, I know. But what’s the approach in terms of trying to maximize the last few months?

I think it’s hard to understand now because you have a little bit of time to play with him, but it’s always hard to lose people who are close to you. And yeah, it’s life, what are you going to do? But you can just try to give him the best and try to give all the things for him, try to win these events.

And yeah, maybe I’m young, I don’t understand everything, maybe in time I’ll understand more. For me, now, to lose FalleN is kind of hard for me, but I understand this is life.

This time last year was when you guys went on that crazy run with the trophies. Is it another winter coming? Is it FURIA coming back?

I don’t know, we will see. I cannot say we play bad, we just had a bad tournament. We are always playing well against good teams, we are not losing easily. We have some bad days, we have some good days, but better to have more good days.

And has the uncertainty over next year affected you guys at all, do you think?

I wouldn’t say it’s affecting us. I don’t have young people in my team, they are already old, and they understand that sometimes it happens, you can lose some people close to you. It’s life. What are you going to do? Nothing.