“It’s more like Vitality against Spirit than ZywOo against donk” – donk on Potential IEM Cologne Semi
Insider Gaming interviewed Danil ‘donk’ Kryshkovets, rifling star for Team Spirit, ahead of the IEM Cologne 2026 Major playoffs. The article features donk’s insights on Team Spirit’s growth as a roster and the unique challenges of competing in a Major without a dedicated coach.
A central topic is donk’s perspective on a potential semifinal matchup against Vitality. Rather than framing the encounter as a clash between star individuals like himself and Vitality’s donk, donk emphasizes it would be a full team competition: “It’s more like Vitality against Spirit than ZywOo against donk.” This underscores the team-focused nature of top-level professional Counter-Strike competition.
The interview also touches on Team Spirit’s tournament performance across different stages. Donk notes their dominant Stage 2 showing, where the team lost only 10 rounds—a strong performance. He reflects on Stage 3 as significantly more challenging, indicating increased difficulty as the competition progressed. These observations provide insight into how the team navigated the tournament’s evolving competitive landscape while operating without coaching support during the Major.