Ropz on jokes about his Porsche: “It’s very personal. It’s a part of my life every day, and now people make fun of it. I don’t find it funny”Exclusive

At IEM Cologne 2024, FaZe Clan engineered what many are calling the most improbable comeback in competitive gaming history. Trailing 1-11 on Mirage’s decisive map against Team Liquid, the squad demonstrated extraordinary resilience to secure victory and eliminate their opponents from the tournament. We sat down with Robin “ropz” Kool to discuss this monumental achievement and address the community’s ongoing jokes about his Porsche 911 Turbo S.

— Last month karrigan mentioned FaZe lacked their previous championship drive from 2022-2023. What’s your perspective on this assessment?

— The competitive fire never diminished within our team. Our challenges primarily stemmed from inconsistent individual form rather than motivation. We adopted a looser playstyle with minimal structural constraints, heavily dependent on player performance peaks. When multiple teammates experience form slumps simultaneously, our system struggles to function optimally. From a spectator’s viewpoint, our gameplay might appear chaotic—players falling sequentially with no apparent strategy. While strategic frameworks exist, they operate with significant flexibility.

Our approach echoes traditional Counter-Strike methodologies, where intuitive gameplay and situational awareness take precedence. Karrigan’s leadership adapts accordingly, focusing on macro-level direction rather than micromanagement, contrasting with his recent tactical preferences. Maintaining consistent competitive mentality becomes challenging when navigating these performance fluctuations.

— Considering your current momentum, did that extraordinary reversal against Liquid sharpen your competitive edge?

— Absolutely, the Liquid match provided crucial psychological momentum. Extended performance slumps spanning months inevitably impact team morale and individual confidence. Often, a single breakthrough tournament performance can reset a team’s rhythm entirely. That specific comeback represents far more than a single victory—it demonstrates our capacity for exceptional results under extreme pressure. We didn’t dominate Liquid conventionally but achieved victory through unprecedented resilience. Such dramatic turnarounds occur perhaps once in thousands of competitive matches. We’re essentially rediscovering our competitive identity, with significant results catalyzing renewed momentum.

— No team had previously accomplished a comeback of this magnitude in CS2 tournaments. Describe your emotional state post-match.

— Post-match emotions blended tranquility with exhilaration—a sense of peaceful accomplishment words cannot fully capture. Observing Twistzz on the opposing side introduced complex feelings, given our shared history as former teammates. Liquid stood moments from securing victory, having mounted their own impressive Nuke comeback and dominating Mirage’s initial half. While our achievement felt personally rewarding, witnessing former colleagues experience such devastating loss tempered the celebration. However, this emotional complexity inherently belongs to competitive esports—there will always be victorious and defeated parties.

— During the match, broky gestured toward Liquid with middle fingers. Was this purely emotional expression or indicative of underlying tensions?

— Those gestures represented raw competitive emotion and team morale maintenance. He executed them during a pistol round and post-match celebration. During that critical pistol round, we consciously focused on positivity despite our 1-11 deficit, seeking any momentum shift after sustained domination. His actions centered on sustaining positive team energy and identifying gameplay opportunities when our T-side strategies faltered.

Post-match interpretations varied, with some viewers perceiving toxicity. Given the comeback’s historic nature, emotional expressions become inevitable. The context contained friendly elements—we maintain professional relationships with Twistzz and understand their team dynamics. From their perspective, surrendering an 11-1 advantage must feel profoundly disorienting. I completely comprehend why observers might find such displays objectionable. Ultimately, these moments reflect esports’ emotional intensity rather than malicious intent.

— Did this match carry personal significance? Also, your thoughts on Twistzz assuming Liquid’s in-game leadership role?

— I approached the match professionally rather than personally. Individual teammates might have experienced different emotional connections. Previous collaborative experience with Twistzz provides limited tactical insights into their strategic approaches. These historical connections inevitably introduce psychological dimensions and mental gameplay elements.

Twistzz possesses exceptional game sense and analytical capabilities. He demonstrates sponge-like information absorption, utilizing every available resource for competitive development. The IGL transition appears natural progression given his capabilities. Early results demonstrate promise—they defeated NAVI twice during BLAST events, currently the world’s top-ranked team. Their trajectory could significantly improve or decline over coming months—only time will reveal the outcome.

— A 2022 social media story mentioned you assisted zont1x purchasing a PC after his relocation to Estonia, yet you never publicly discussed this. Can you confirm this account?

— Yes, the account is accurate. I didn’t consider it particularly noteworthy at the time. Estonian acquaintances organizing local tournaments and developing the national esports scene requested assistance for a Ukrainian player needing equipment. My affirmative response represented a simple opportunity to support emerging talent. Current community jokes speculate about potential consequences—would assisting another player result in them defeating us like Team Spirit at Katowice? These developments seem both intriguing and peculiar. I remain pleased to have provided support, believing only positive outcomes resulted.

— Did you and zont1x maintain communication about this assistance?

— No ongoing communication occurred. The assistance represented a minor gesture that simply unfolded naturally.

— Community commentary often links your statistical performance decline to your Porsche purchase. Does this narrative bother you?

— Certainly. These jokes feel intensely personal. The vehicle constitutes part of my daily existence, yet it becomes subject public humor. While unpleasant, if people derive amusement, that remains their prerogative. Personally, I don’t find humor in these comments.

— Describe your perspective on the vehicle. Was ownership fulfillment of childhood aspiration?

— My self-perception remains that of an ordinary individual. I appreciate quality dining experiences and automotive engineering. My current professional position enables lifestyle enjoyment at an appropriate life stage. Purchasing sports vehicles during later life phases seems less appealing—experiencing these pleasures while young aligns with my personal philosophy.

Fans speculate how Ropz stats went down after he bought Porsche 911 — but there are much better ways to explain his performance drop

No reproduction without permission：Game Guides » Ropz on jokes about his Porsche: “It’s very personal. It’s a part of my life every day, and now people make fun of it. I don’t find it funny”Exclusive Ropz reveals personal struggles with community jokes, FaZe Clan's comeback journey, and insights on professional CS2 dynamics