The first CS2 major, PGL Major Copenhagen 2024, has reached its conclusion, delivering many exciting matches and surprises for the CS2 community. The Ukrainian team Natus Vincere (NAVI) emerged as the champions of this prestigious tournament. In this article, we will explore some of the most memorable moments from the tournament and the key players who led NAVI to victory. For more information about current CS2 tournaments and cs2 tournament stats, be sure to check out the Profilerr website.
NAVI is The Winner of PGL Major Copenhagen 2024
The playoff stage of the major in Copenhagen was one of the most exciting and evenly matched in recent memory. It featured top teams such as Team Spirit, the reigning champions Team Vitality, the impressive FaZe Clan, and m0NESY with G2. Among these elite eight teams, Natus Vincere was considered to have the slimmest chances of winning. Few analysts, fans, or CS2 players believed that NAVI could even reach the finals.
Even NAVI’s coach, Andrei “B1ad3” Gorodensky, set a top-four finish as the team’s primary goal. Players like Aleksib and iM struggled in the Elimination Stage, ranking among the lowest-rated players in the tournament. The team narrowly secured a spot in the playoffs, losing critical matches against Cloud9 and Team Spirit before finally defeating paiN Gaming in a decisive match to move on.
However, once in the playoffs, NAVI began to show they were there for a reason. They first faced the Turkish team Eternal Fire, with both teams having similar odds, but NAVI secured a decisive victory. Next, they faced G2, preventing m0NESY and NiKo from advancing to the final. In these matches, players like jL, Aleksib, and iM stepped up and showed their full potential, complementing their teammates effectively.
In the grand final, NAVI faced FaZe Clan, who had earlier defeated Team Spirit and Team Vitality. The final was a thrilling display of skill and proved once again that anything can happen on the Counter-Strike stage.
Who is Aleksib?
Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen is the captain of Natus Vincere. He had previously reached the final of a major with ENCE, where they lost to the formidable Astralis in 2019. After that, Aleksib was replaced by suNny and moved to OG, where he was unable to replicate his earlier success. During his three-year tenure with OG, the team struggled to secure major victories.
Following his departure from OG, Aleksib joined G2, but he was released less than a year later. He then moved on to NiP, where his time was even less successful. Finally, in June 2023, Natus Vincere announced their new international roster, led by Aleksib.
Just nine months later, this new lineup achieved a major victory, bringing home the trophy at their first major together.
Who Replaced s1mple?
When Igor “w0nderful” Zhdanov joined Natus Vincere, many were skeptical. After all, the 18-year-old had big shoes to fill, replacing none other than Alexander “s1mple” Kostylev, the three-time HLTV Player of the Year. Even s1mple himself expressed doubts about Igor’s ability to succeed in his role.
Despite these doubts, w0nderful rose to the challenge. Not only did he secure a spot on the NAVI roster, but he also became a major champion. Igor played a critical role during the tournament, showcasing incredible skills with the AWP. One of his standout moments was on the “B” site on Inferno, where he single-handedly dealt with five players from Eternal Fire, making it one of the tournament’s most memorable highlights.
W0nderful finished the tournament with a rating of 1.11. While jL earned the MVP award, w0nderful’s contributions were indispensable to NAVI’s success. Now, at the age of 19, Igor matches s1mple’s record of major victories, a feat that took s1mple over five years to achieve.
Key Moments of the Battle
FaZe Clan made a surprising choice by selecting Ancient as the map, a choice they had only played twice in this major, with mixed results. FaZe started on the offensive side and initially took the lead, but NAVI quickly took control thanks to a brilliant hat trick from jL, which included a crucial solo kill.
NAVI demonstrated solid defensive tactics, preventing Finn “karrigan” Andersen from making significant progress for most of the first half. FaZe did manage to find a few openings and ended the first half just two rounds behind.
NAVI extended their lead by winning the pistol round after the break, pushing the score to 10-5. FaZe rallied with weapons in hand, closing the gap to just one round, and it seemed like another classic FaZe comeback might be in the making. However, NAVI kept their composure, with jL winning a crucial 1v1 and then pulling off a sensational 1v3 clutch when FaZe seemed poised to take the round with just one SMG.
Final Thoughts
CS2 continues to captivate players around the world, from Chicago to Tokyo. In March 2024, the average monthly active player count approached 900,000. New heroes are emerging on the professional scene, displaying exceptional skills and determination. If you want to stay up to date on the latest CS2 tournament stats, settings used by the pros, and upcoming matches, make sure to visit the Profilerr website. Profilerr also offers useful services such as a CS2 crosshair generator, Steam ID finder, and much more.
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