Krimbo says NiP can learn from Malta exit and packed schedule before Stockholm return

Ninjas in Pyjamas are out of the Thunderpick World Championship after back-to-back group-stage losses to Falcons and Aurora, and newly appointed in-game leader Karim “Krimbo” Moussa said the team can still take useful lessons from the trip to Malta.

HLTV spoke to Krimbo after the elimination, and the German said NiP expected more from both series even if the short preparation made the event difficult to read. The run came during a crowded spell for the team: they won their Stake Pulse Beat III group in Stockholm, flew to Malta, and then were due to head straight back to Sweden for the playoffs.

Krimbo said the team wanted to test itself against elite opposition, especially with little time to prepare. He pointed to the quality of Falcons and Aurora, describing them as two of the best teams in the world right now, and said NiP should have taken at least one map from the two matches.

NiP’s two losses came down to key rounds

Krimbo felt NiP were not far off in either series, even though the scoreboard made both losses look heavier than they felt in the server. He said the Ancient defeat to Falcons became messy after NiP lost two anti-eco rounds, had poor money and dropped two clutches, which made the map look worse than their overall play.

Against Falcons and Aurora, he said the biggest difference came in mid-round and late-round situations, where individual skill and clutch rounds mattered more. He added that the team already knows where mistakes were made and that the limited practice time meant they had mostly been playing officials rather than running long blocks of theory work.

Krimbo said NiP had only one week of full practice, and that the Malta event was useful because it showed how the lineup reacts under pressure against stronger teams. He singled out adamb and xKacpersky, saying they have not spent many years at tier one and that the staff wanted to see how the whole group would handle nerves, pressure and in-game adjustments.

“I think we can draw good conclusions from this,” he said.

A compressed run between Stockholm and Malta

The tournament was part of an unusually tight calendar. Krimbo said NiP arrived in Malta on Tuesday evening, played the next morning and were set to go straight to the airport afterward to continue their run in Sweden. He called it a “crazy schedule,” but said the team had accepted it because they wanted the experience of playing more tier-one Counter-Strike.

He also said this was NiP’s fourth event in a row, which made the travel and match load far from normal. Even so, he did not treat that as a reason to avoid the trip. In his view, the constant movement and short turnaround can help the group grow together.

“Obviously, it’s not normal, right? But it’s also unique, and I also think it just makes us stronger as a team as well,” he said.

Krimbo also said the decision about which tournaments NiP play is made by the coaching staff and management, not by him alone. From his own perspective, he likes being in the biggest events and facing the best teams, even if the logistics are demanding. The team’s immediate task is to return to Stockholm and continue through the Stake Pulse Beat III playoffs without much preparation time.

Krimbo on learning the IGL role

Krimbo said he has enjoyed the switch to in-game leader, even if NiP are still searching for their identity. He said the team have learned plenty from the officials they have played, but they have not yet had enough time together to fully define their style or talk through every detail.

He said the role has also forced him to change as a player. Before taking over the calling duties, he was more of an anchor, lurker or supportive player, and now he sometimes has to sacrifice more for the team. On CT sides, he said he often plays rotation positions, but added that he is comfortable with the demands.

“I really like it,” he said.

Krimbo’s comments about stavn were similarly patient. He said the AWPer is one of the most self-critical players he has ever played with, so there is not much need to push him from the outside when a map goes badly. On Dust2, he said NiP were in good positions but did not hit enough shots, while XANTARES produced several strong rounds and important fragging for the opposition.

That mindset has already brought results. Krimbo said lifting two trophies so soon after becoming IGL felt more satisfying because of the extra work that goes into analysing opponents and handling the stress of smaller LAN events, where teams move from one game to the next without much pause. At the same time, he stressed that those wins are only a first step and that NiP have not achieved much yet as a team.

The Major race is part of that larger picture. Krimbo said he was told NiP had only 3% chances for the Major race the day before, and that the possibility of turning an unlikely position into a qualification run is motivating. His last Major was Shanghai, two years ago, and he said getting back on that stage would mean a lot.

“Majors, with Cologne in my opinion, are always the biggest tournaments in the year,” he said.

He added that the goal is not only to qualify for one Major and then relax. NiP, he said, should keep the same work ethic and attitude at every event, whether it is a qualifying run, a smaller LAN or a top-tier tournament against elite opposition.