Sharks’ Koala blames confidence, not map pool, for PGL Major exit

Sharks were eliminated from the PGL Major in Cologne after three consecutive losses. The Brazilian team fell to TYLOO in the knockout match following a slow start against HEROIC. Sharks finished 2-0 on Nuke and did not register a win on the other four maps they played.

João ‘koala’ Pfeffer attributed the result to a drop in team confidence and problems with in-match decision-making rather than the map pool. He described the overall display at the event as poor and said the squad did not play a single match well across the stage.

Pfeffer credited Nuke preparation and defined roles for the positive results on that map. He said his flexibility as a T-side lurker helped the team adapt tactics on Nuke, allowing them to counter different opponent styles. On maps such as Inferno and Anubis, he described the team’s performance as a ‘B game’ and said Sharks lacked the same practical solutions they had on Nuke.

The player pointed to basic tactical weaknesses on the non-Nuke maps, listing trade execution, communication, entry timing and mid-round decision-making as areas that failed under pressure. He said opponents outside Brazil tended to play at a faster pace and make quicker mid-round choices; he did not view their individual aim as superior but saw a gap in decisiveness.

This was Sharks’ first Major appearance. The roster arrived hoping to test itself against top teams; Pfeffer described Sharks as a tier-two side pushing the best in the scene but said the event did not produce the results they wanted.

Pfeffer identified short-term priorities for the team: build map-by-map consistency beyond Nuke, sharpen basic mechanics and rotations in high-pressure matches, and gain more experience against faster, decision-heavy opponents. He said improving the team’s mental resilience at major events is necessary for better international outcomes.