On October 1st, 23-year-old Ukrainian esports player Illja "Ganginho" Chernychenko announced that he would no longer compete at the professional level. We spoke with Illja to find out why he made this decision and what his future plans are.

Who is Ganginho?

Illja began his professional Counter-Strike career at the age of 16. A native of Kharkiv, he quickly garnered attention at local LAN tournaments in Ukraine, showcasing impressive results among his peers. Thanks to his talent as a sniper, Ganginho caught the eye not only of teams but also of popular influencers in the esports community. From the very beginning of his pro career, it became clear that Ganginho had a good chance of becoming a top player.

What did he achieve on the CS pro scene?

Despite his early success, Ganginho's career turned out to be challenging. He managed to break into the FACEIT Pro League, where he competed against many well-known professionals. He consistently performed at a solid level and earned prize placements in the league, sparking hopes for a bright future.

However, as is often the case in esports, the path to the top is not always straightforward. Despite his obvious talent, Ganginho found himself stuck on the tier-3 scene for an extended period, where he couldn’t fully unlock his potential. This time was especially difficult for him. Things improved slightly when he joined teams like Betera Esports and Sangal Esports. At that point, the tier-2 scene seemed closer than ever for him. But even after getting this opportunity, Ilya couldn’t secure a permanent spot or elevate to the next level, leading to disappointment for both him and his fans.

Throughout his career, Illja played for various teams, including Iron Branch, Question Mark, Betera Esports, Sangal Esports, and TEAM NEXT LEVEL. He also won several smaller tournaments, earning around $18,000 in prize money. Despite these achievements, his career never reached the peak that many had expected.

In Sangal, I played very mediocrely. I consider my peak to be when I played for Iron Branch/Betera (Masval, sad, nifee, lollipop21k); back then, I was in great shape, and we ranked in the top 40 of the world rankings. I was also actively playing FPL at that time and performing at a high level.

Illja "Ganginho" Chernychenko

Why did he decide to retire at 23?

In an exclusive comment for Bo3.gg, Ganginho candidly shared why he decided to end his career at just 23 years old. He admitted that he had been stuck on the tier-3 scene and lost faith in his ability to move forward. The lack of progress and motivation led him to reevaluate his priorities and weigh the pros and cons. After much deliberation, Illja made the decision to step away.

I made this decision because, in my opinion, my career began when I was 16-17 years old. I’ve been stuck at the tier-3 level for a long time now. I don't see any progress, and my motivation is gone. The agency had a few negotiations after Sangal, but they all fell through.

Illja "Ganginho" Chernychenko

What are his future plans?

Despite retiring as a professional player, Ganginho doesn't plan to leave esports. He revealed that he will be working with the young Ukrainian organization TEAM NEXT LEVEL, but in a different role. Now, his main goal is to pass on his knowledge and experience to the next generation of players. Ganginho understands the importance of supporting the development of esports in his country and intends to contribute to this direction.

I plan to be part of the TEAM NEXT LEVEL organization and help it grow, but now in the role of CEO.

Illja "Ganginho" Chernychenko

Ganginho’s story is a reminder of how even the most talented players can get lost in the multi-tiered and harsh world of esports. Young players like Illja can burn out when faced with a lack of progress or opportunities to advance to a higher level. It’s especially sad when players who show enormous potential fail to reach the heights they were capable of for various reasons.

These cases highlight the importance of supporting young talents, helping them not only develop their skills but also cope with the emotional and psychological pressures associated with professional esports. Otherwise, we will continue to lose promising players who could become the next stars of CS2.