Another issue of the CS:GO Era In Numbers, where we look back into the history of competitive CS:GO. In previous parts, we talked about Dupreeh’s career and compared performances of s1mple and ZywOo. This time, CS.MONEY Blog lists five best teams in CS:GO history spiced with facts and numbers.
The CS:GO Era may be over, but the brave new world of Counter-Strike 2 is ahead. Did you know that many skins will look even better on Source 2? We advise you to upgrade your inventory before it launches on CS.MONEY Trade because the moment Valve releases the game, skins will skyrocket in price!
5th Place: Luminosity/SK 2016
- Roster: FalleN, Coldzera, Fer, TACO, fnx
For a long time, teams from South America were not given a chance on the international esports scene. Travelling to European tournaments was extremely expensive, and without any success there, no one would respect your region. FalleN changed the situation. The godfather of Brazilian CS:GO, together with KaBuM.TD, seized his opportunity at ESL One Katowice 2015, and since then, the Brazilian scene finally started receiving attention.
The rise of South American CS:GO came in 2016. The Brazilian squad led by FalleN won both Majors (first as Luminosity and then as SK Gaming). One of the key factors in their success was the incredible performance of Coldzera. Marcelo David burst onto the scene and was immediately brought into the discussion to be the greatest player in the game’s history. Unfortunately, his peak did not last as long. The Era of s1mple and ZywOo followed shortly. However, the phenomenal performance of the Brazilian roster in 2016 secured their place in our top five best teams in the history of CS:GO.
4th Place: Natus Vincere 2021
- Roster: Boombl4, s1mple, electronic, b1t, Perfecto
NAVI dominated everyone and everywhere throughout 2021. They became the first team in history to win a Major without losing a single map, and in LAN conditions, they hardly ever lost a Bo3 series.
Unfortunately, Natus Vincere’s short era prevents them from being ranked higher. If NAVI ever managed to win at least one more Major and extended their winning streak, they could have become undoubtedly the best team in the game’s history. But for now, NAVI 2021 is the biggest What If in CS:GO history.
3rd Place: Ninjas in Pyjamas 2012–2014
- Roster: Xizt, f0rest, GeT_RiGhT, Fifflaren, friberg
No one can discuss CS:GO’s greatest teams without mentioning the Swedish squad that dominated the early days of the game. NiP holds a record that no one has been able to beat and is unlikely to be surpassed in CS 2: 87 consecutive map wins at LAN tournaments! For almost two years, no one could do literally anything against NiP. However, this achievement alone is not enough to rank them higher. After all, the team won only one Major, and our next team directly surpassed them.
2nd Place: Fnatic 2014–2015
- Roster: pronax, JW, olofmeister, flusha, KRIMZ
Fnatic of 2014-2015 is considered a legendary lineup CS:GO’s early days, and that’s a fair statement. Fnatic showcased phenomenal individual performances from multiple players and were fearless in experimenting and finding new strategies in the game. Should we even recall the infamous olofboost as an example of cheating or just geniusly finding and utilizing something between the lines of the CS:GO’s game code? With two Majors and over 300 won maps, Fnatic came close but fell short of grabbing the golden medal.
Astralis 2018–2020, the greatest CS:GO team
- Roster: gla1ve, dupreeh, Xyp9x, device, Magisk
With each passing year, CS:GO becomes increasingly competitive. And the dominance of some teams in the early days is not as impressive as what Astralis achieved over three years. They won three consecutive Majors and claimed victory in the Intel Grand Slam. It felt like no opponent could come close to the Danish super squad.
The players, along with their coach Zonic, changed CS:GO. They came up with iconic tactics, showed unrivaled aim, and kept stability for a period so long, no other esports could achieve. Much of today’s game is built upon Astralis’ experience. The Danes’ Legacy is difficult to put into words, and we wholeheartedly recognize Astralis from 2018 to 2020 as the greatest team in the history of CS:GO.
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