It’s not often we get a peek behind the curtain of esports team building. Recently, Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo, widely known as “Professor” and a legend in Counter-Strike history, shared some surprising stories. He spoke on the “Snake & Bater” podcast, after his team FURIA won the Fissure Playground #2 tournament. FalleN opened up about a time when two top players, Kaike “KSCERATO” Cerato and Yuri “yuurih” Boian, almost joined MIBR back in 2019.
The podcast hosts, Duncan “Thorin” Shields and Alex “Mauisnake” Ellenberg, talked about FalleN’s long-standing partnership with Marcelo “coldzera” David. They also discussed how KSCERATO is often compared to coldzera, who was twice named the best player in the world. FalleN didn’t shy away from the comparison.
“I think KSCERATO was the best Brazilian player after coldzera,” FalleN stated. “He is showing everything now, and at 26, he is entering his prime. He is talented, calm, intelligent, and plays for the team.”
Thorin then brought up old rumors from 2019. These whispers suggested KSCERATO might move to MIBR, but the deal never happened. FalleN explained the full story, painting a picture of intense negotiations.
“We really wanted KSCERATO,” FalleN revealed. “We tried to sign KSCERATO and yuurih for quite some time, if I am not mistaken. We made an offer, and they said they wanted to come. But they never did. Then FURIA re-signed them.”
FalleN shared more details about a specific moment when the deal was close. “There was a time when the FURIA guys came, and they wanted to sell them,” he said. “It was a specific moment, I think, when it was almost happening. I believe they wanted $100,000 at the time, which was expensive.”
The story took a dramatic turn when KSCERATO himself weighed in. FalleN recounted a message KSCERATO supposedly sent to Fer, another player. “KSCERATO sent a message to Fer like: ‘Hey, uncle, want to win the next major? Are you going to bring me?'” FalleN recalled. “And Fer was like, ‘What the heck is this guy talking about? Who does he think he is?’ Then the team debated: ‘Should we spend $100,000 on one player or get another for free?'”
One can only wonder how different the Counter-Strike scene might be if that 2019 transfer had gone through. Now, alongside “Professor” FalleN, KSCERATO and yuurih have achieved a major milestone. They secured their long-awaited first Tier S title in CS2 at the Fissure Playground #2 event. This victory highlights the incredible talent that was almost traded, showcasing the shifting values and high stakes of esports player movement.