Ruslan "woozzzi" Aliev was born on September 14, 2006, in Russia. He lived there until he was six years old, then moved to the Czech Republic after his parents' divorce, where he finished school and enrolled in college. Besides CS:GO, he had no other interests. Ruslan is well-known in the CIS community and is considered a promising player. He even joined The Prodigies organization, which helps talented gamers like him develop and become professionals.
Woozzzi was interviewed this promising player and learned how he got into CS, what he does in his free time, and what he plans to do if he doesn't succeed in esports.
– How did you first encounter CS?
– I got introduced to the game in 2018 when I visited a classmate. He showed me CS:GO on his laptop, and we started playing. I liked the game, but I couldn't afford it since it was paid. In 2019, I finally bought CS:GO, played for 100 hours, and then stopped due to having a weak computer. A year later, I got a powerful computer, and I returned to the game. Soon, I realized I was good at it, started taking it more seriously, and trained as much as possible.
– What was the main push to start your esports career?
– I always dreamed of becoming an esports athlete. I've been playing computer games since I was 5 years old, and I enjoyed it. When I started doing well in CS:GO, I realized I needed to dive into esports.
– In which teams have you played, and which one would you like to join?
– I played for Entropiq Future and Nemiga Gaming. In the future, I would probably like to join Spirit or G2.
– Did you ever consider quitting and not playing at a high level anymore? How was that?
– Yes, it often happened, especially in the first days after the release of CS 2. Transitioning from one version to another was very difficult for me, and it was only after six months that I got used to it and started adapting to the game. Initially, I didn't like CS 2 very much, and there were also many unpleasant events happening in my life. I didn't play the game for about two months, and even if I did, I didn't train hard. It was a time when I wanted to quit esports the most. Such thoughts often occur when nothing works out, but it's not long-term.
– Tell us about the most important event in your career.
– Probably when I played for Nemiga Gaming: I gained a lot of experience, which gave me a big boost and made my profile "cooler." People started to recognize me, and I received more respect from the community.
– How did you join The Prodigies?
– I filled out an application. Soon, the CEO of the agency wrote to me, we played a few games: I performed very well, passed the selection, and was signed as the first candidate on the list. I think this will give me a strong push: with the agency, it's much easier to find a team, as they have huge connections with new and existing projects. I'm already in touch with some teams and hope to find a new home soon.
– Who is your idol, who do you look up to?
– It’s Definitely m0nesy, we have a very similar style, and I love watching his games. You can learn a lot, he's unique, and nobody plays as well with the AWP as he does now. Even a tier-1 player can learn something from m0nesy.
– What would you like to become if not an esports athlete?
– Probably a lawyer. I wanted to be a lawyer as a child, and it's still plan B if I don't make it in esports.
– Can you share your plans?
– I don't have specific plans; the future of esports is unpredictable. But if you strive and train hard, I'm sure you can achieve great heights. That's what I'll be focusing on.
– How do you spend your free time away from CS?
– I often go to the gym or just relax at home, sometimes I take walks alone to distract myself from everything and recharge. Mostly, I don't do much else because I devote a lot of time to the game and my daily routine.
– Finally, what's your life motto?
– The best way to learn is to learn from your mistakes.
Aliev's journey in esports is just beginning, but we'll be actively following him. Who knows, maybe he'll play at one of the future majors?!