Krabeni rises; FUT takes three of top six prospects

Aulon “Krabeni” Fazlija climbed one spot in the May prospects ranking while FUT placed three players among the top six. Džiugas “dziugss” Steponavičius kept the No. 1 position and Dmytro “dem0n” Myroshnychenko sits third. The monthly update covers results through May 6.

The prospects list uses weighted metrics to evaluate young players, including recent form, results versus top teams, contributions to round wins, LAN and playoff performance, age and visibility at notable events.

Krabeni’s rise reflected his numbers against elite competition. He posted a 1.06 rating versus top-20 opponents over the last six months and averaged 101.3 damage per round in round-winning situations in the sample used for the ranking. Since joining FUT he has a 1.05 overall rating, registered a 1.10 rating at PGL Bucharest and holds 101 average damage per round across 129 maps.

Other players moved up in the May update. Alliance’s Liam “MaiL09” Tügel entered the top 10 after a 1.18 LAN rating over the past three months. Alex “poiii” Nyholm Sundgren also moved into the top 10 on the strength of domestic results. Seven Danish players appear on the list, from William “sirah” Kjærsgaard to Nicky “NickyB” Bruhn. Adam “Grizz” Golden rose six places to No. 21 after FRAG 20, and 17-year-old Zolbayar “tikuak” Chimedtseren jumped from 48th to 38th after a 1.26 series rating against TYLOO.

Some prospects fell in the rankings. Vladislav “xiELO” Lysov and Emil “nota” Moskvitin slipped after difficult runs against strong opposition. Players who narrowly missed a top-50 placement this month include Teemu “teme” Korva, Vladislav “Alv” Vorokhobov, Denis “m1QUSE” Karpovich, Bogdan “ogwizard” Savula and Danylo “s1zzi” Vinnyk.

The May cutoff excludes results from PGL Astana and IEM Atlanta; performances at those events will be reflected in the next update. Two ranking updates remain this prospects season before eligibility is reassessed and a new group of graduates is chosen.

Krabeni described his path from local internet cafes in Kosovo to the professional scene. He spent long hours practicing during the pandemic and rented a computer to maintain his routine until his father bought him a PC. He recalled first attending XP Game Fest 2022 in Pristina, then joining BLINK and later an academy side where he took on in-game leader duties during tryouts.

On leadership, Krabeni said, “I will always commit to being IGL because I like it.” He described balancing leadership with fragging: he avoids always taking the most dangerous first-entry roles and instead mixes tasks like utility use and creating space. He noted his team has been together for more than two years, with only one recent roster addition, and that the group moved from academy status after winning at PGL Bucharest.

The May prospects update records current form and development through early May and sets the baseline for further changes after the next slate of events.