Jonno is a writer for Esports Insider and has been part of the team since 2019. Over the past ten years, he's written for several outlets including Gfinity, GGRecon, and Radio Times. As an avid sim racer, he aims to provide insight on one of the fastest growing sectors in esports.
Olivia Richman is a seasoned esports journalist who has worked with Inven Global, Esports Illustrated, Esports.gg, and more. As an editor and writer at Esports Insider, she loves telling unique esports stories, especially within the FGC. When not working and gaming, Olivia loves collecting Kirby plush, eating sushi, and driving her cars at the track.
Image Credit: Viola Schuldner / ESL Witnessing a lesser-known team conquer an established name in esports and traditional sports is a sight to behold. Whether it’s on the football pitch or the main stage of a high-profile tournament, the idea of a team defying the odds frequently captures the imagination of fans across the world.
This year’s IEM Cologne Major has reached the playoffs, with eight of the world’s best Counter-Strike teams battling in the LANXESS Arena for a chance to lift one of the most prestigious trophies in competitive gaming.
Two of the eight teams have navigated their way to Counter-Strike’s cathedral after overcoming the hurdles of a last-minute roster change and a lack of experience in Tier 1 tournaments. Despite their adversities, the underdogs have a genuine chance of springing a surprise against the favored powerhouse rosters.
Image Credit: ESL Two days before the opening stage, Russian organization BetBoom revealed that rifler Pavel “S1ren” Ogloblin wouldn’t feature in the starting lineup for the first phase of the Major. Despite hopes of S1ren rejoining the team later in the tournament, it was later confirmed that Daniil “d1Ledez” Kustov will remain with the team for the duration of the tournament.
A last-minute overhaul of a roster days before taking to the server in the biggest Counter-Strike tournament of the year immediately lowered expectations for a BetBoom side displaying a recent uptick in form. Even with S1ren absent, the team cruised through Stage 1 with a flawless 3-0 record. Stage 2 was another strong showing despite a stand-in. Aside from a defeat to Team Spirit , BetBoom recorded wins over GamerLegion , M80 , and Monte to advance to Stage 3, the final round before the playoffs.
The third stage of a Counter-Strike Major is where the world’s strongest teams enter the competition. Opening victories over The MongolZ and Team Falcons preceded two defeats at the hands of FURIA and Team Vitality , setting up a do-or-die best-of-three against FUT Esports for a chance to take a seat at the Cathedral.
Superior defensive strategies made all the difference for BetBoom, securing a 2-0 sweep over FUT Esports to secure its first playoff appearance at a Major. The last-minute roster change, combined with a Stage 1 start, is a testament to the team’s resilience and intent to succeed against some of Counter-Strike’s big guns.
South America continues to produce a wealth of talent capable of performing on the big stage. After finding form at regional tournaments, 9z has become the latest team from the region to excel despite fielding a roster of relative unknowns.
The trio of Matias “HUASOPEEK” Ibañez Hernandez, Luciano “luchov” Herrera, and Ignacio “meyern” Meyer has never competed at a Counter-Strike Major in their careers…