Insider Gaming spoke to Vitality legendary leader, Dan ‘apEX’ Madesclaire before the IEM Cologne 2026 Major playoffs. The Frenchman spoke to IG about the team’s form, his hunger, and the tough bracket awaiting the roster as they chase historic back-to-back-to-back Majors.
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Insider Gaming interviews apEX at the IEM Cologne 2026 Major
What would be your assessment of the event so far for Vitality?
Well, not the best group stage for us, but that’s fine, that’s okay. We’ve done a bad group stage, but good playoff overall, so that’s what I’m looking for. I’m not scared, not anything, just happy to be there and excited.
Was there a lack of feeling that you were connected as a team in the group stage?
I think the problem is the team, I think, was already thinking about probably the playoffs and going far in the tournament, and the group stage was not like something that we were thinking too much, I would say.
We maybe thought it would be easier, and we didn’t play well. But once again, who will remember if we do a bad group stage if we win the tournament? So, for me, I’m not scared. I just want to step up in the playoffs, and that’s it.
I talked to XTQZZZ earlier in the year. He said you had to change your plans to put more emphasis on the Grand Slam. Do you think that interrupted your preparation at all for this Major?
No, we had the preparation we needed. We did what we had to do, so no. I think the preparation was fine. The schedule was just a bit more hectic at some point, but that’s it. That was fine.
In terms of like obviously going into the playoffs, it’s a very tough side of the bracket for you guys. How are you feeling about the process?
Well, when you want to win the trophy, when you want to win back-to-back-to-back, whoever you have to face, you have to beat them. So, if it’s Falcon in the quarters or in the final or against Spirit or whoever, we’re fine with that. If we lose to a team, it’s just because it means that we don’t deserve to win.
And for me, I know that’s going to be a tough road, but we’re ready for that and just happy to be able to play against really good teams because it might be one of the best runs ever.
In 2019 Astralis had to face Liquid before the Grand Final to win in Berlin. How are you feeling about how strong Spirit are at the moment?
I don’t know. Maybe the Falcon game will be tough if we beat them. Maybe the Spirit game will be tough. I don’t know if it’s a final before the final or whatever. As I said, I’m focused more towards us than on the opponent. I want us to play our best and beat those guys, and that’s it.
I’m not really focused on if it’s a final before the final or whatever. For me, it’s just focusing on ourselves, it’s already enough.
What would it mean to you to win this event?
Well, if we win Cologne, we will be the first team except Astralis to do three in a row. I will call dupreeh as a five-major champion.
We’ll put our legacy up there in the conversation, and that will be something fantastic. So, we’re really looking forward to doing that because it’s possible with this team.
Do you think you’ll ever be satisfied? You’ve done so much in your career. You’ve won everything there is to win. But if you win this Major do you think you’ll lose any hunger?
I’m not sure. I think maybe if I win six majors, I will, because then the problem is you have to beat yourself and not someone else. I will see at that time if it happens because you never know.
But for me, I don’t know if I will lose hunger. I just want to do as well as possible until the end. So, I’m going to try to do as best as I can until I retire.
I always feel like the thing about you is that you want every round to be the perfect round. What do you think is the closest you’ve gotten to perfection in terms of a game or in terms of a round?
I’m not sure. Sometimes, when you see some flawless T-side that we have, it’s something that I’m really proud of. But that’s something that whenever we don’t have, I want to have again, and that’s hard, but that’s actually a pretty nice one.
I think that’s overall a tough one to do, to be perfect in everything. But that’s something you’re chasing because you’re never perfect, but chasing perfection is key.
- Related: donk tells Insider Gaming “It’s more about Vitality against Spirit than ZywOo against donk”
In terms of having that mentality transmitted to your other players, how do you think you’ve grown and changed as a leader to enable your players as much as possible?
I think what I’ve gotten better at is mostly being hungry when I have to and being calm when I have to. Because before I was always hungry, and now I’m just more calm at some points or hungry at other points. That’s something I’m trying to be as much as I can.
And also trying to give them my mentality of just giving your best all the time because you never know when it’s ending, and just being sure that you play your 100% all the time, so you have no regrets.
End of interview
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Darragh is an Esports Journalist for Insider Gaming specialising in Counter-Strike. He loves to explore how esports teams work, or why they very often do not.
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