Falcons entered Counter-Strike with big ambitions, spending huge money to build strong teams. But every time they tried, they failed. From their early French rosters to their latest international lineup, nothing has worked. Even after signing zonic, one of the most successful coaches in CS history, the results have been disappointing.
So, is zonic really overrated, or is the problem with Falcons’ management? Let’s take a look at their history, what went wrong, and whether Falcons can ever become a top team.
A History of Failures
French roster
Falcons have gone through multiple attempts to establish a strong CS roster, but none of them have worked out as expected. Their first major push was with a French lineup in 2022, featuring players like kennyS, misutaaa, and NBK-. While they had some decent results—winning ESL Challenger League Season 41 and almost qualifying for ESL Pro League Season 17—they never managed to break into the top tier. The closest they got to real success was at IEM Road to Rio 2022 RMR, where they finished just one place short of qualifying for the Major.
In 2023, they tried again, but results stayed the same. Falcons reached another RMR but failed to qualify for the Paris Major. After that, they abandoned the all-French project and built an international roster, featuring NBK-, bodyy, BOROS, mhL, and launX. However, this lineup also didn’t bring results, leading to another rebuild.
Zonic and Magisk arrive
At the end of 2023, Falcons signed zonic as their head coach and Magisk from Vitality, planning to build a new powerhouse roster. They initially wanted NiKo, but he turned them down. Instead, they bought three ENCE players, adding BOROS and Magisk. The project looked promising, but after a semifinal run at IEM Katowice 2024, things went downhill. They failed to qualify for PGL Major Copenhagen, dropped BOROS for dupreeh, and made no further progress.
By the end of 2024, Falcons made another desperate attempt to fix the team, signing s1mple as a stand-in for three tournaments. But that move failed too, as s1mple struggled, and the roster looked completely broken which resulted another missed Major.
Now in 2025, they have once again built a new team, bringing in NiKo, the core of HEROIC, and Magisk under zonic’s leadership. However, their BLAST Bounty Spring 2025 run ended early, and at IEM Katowice 2025, they finished dead last.
Zonic: The Legendary Coach Who Can’t Win with Falcons
Zonic is one of the greatest CS coaches ever. He won four Majors with Astralis, built the greatest team in CS history, and then moved to Vitality, where he built another championship squad, winning the BLAST Paris Major 2023. Unlike many coaches, he proved he could win with different teams and players.
When Falcons hired zonic, it seemed like a perfect match. But so far, nothing has gone right. His teams have failed, his strategies haven’t worked, and his players haven’t looked comfortable. But can we really blame zonic for this?
Is Zonic the Problem?
The truth is, zonic was promised a different roster. Reports say that Falcons planned to sign NiKo in 2024, but the deal fell through. He had to work with a weaker lineup, and it never came together. Even in 2025, this isn’t his dream roster.
Zonic has shown he can build winners, but only if he gets time and the right players. At Vitality, it took almost two years before they became champions. But Falcons don’t seem patient enough to wait and cannot satisfy all needs of the coach.
The Bigger Issue: Falcons' Management
One of the biggest problems with Falcons is how they throw money at every problem without proper planning. They have spent millions on buyouts and salaries, yet they have nothing to show for it. Instead of building slowly, they try to win instantly, which rarely works in CS.
By paying huge salaries, Falcons are inflating the market, making it harder for other teams to sign players. When they fail and drop players, those players don’t struggle to find new homes because it’s clear they have a high level. We saw this happen with SunPayus and Snappi, who moved to HEROIC and NIP for new promising projects.
If this continues, Falcons will keep failing, and the CS market will become more chaotic. Instead of building a stable, long-term project, they seem stuck in an endless cycle of buying, failing, and rebuilding.
Final Verdict: Is Zonic Overrated?
No, zonic is not overrated. He has proven his greatness multiple times, but he needs time. Falcons haven’t given him that. They keep changing rosters too quickly, and no team can win under these conditions.
The real issue is Falcons’ management. They lack patience, overspend, and expect instant success. Until they change their approach, they will continue to waste money and fail, no matter who their coach is.
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