Counter-Strike has evolved and changed a lot since the 1.6 and Source days generations of old have grown up on. It recently broke its record of over a million concurrent players active in the game, regularly hosts competitions with prize purses stretching to over a $1 million and has firmly established itself as the world’s leading first person shooter within the competitive scene.
With the competitive scene set at the highest bar it has ever been at, and with the stakes raised with every competition that teams enter these days, here’s a rundown on the top five teams active in the world of Counter-Strike right now.
#1 – Natus Vincere (Na’Vi)
Last Trophy: IEM Katowice (March 2020)
The number one ranked side in the world according to the latest HLTV global rankings, Natus Vincere have transformed themselves from serial underachievers to one of the heavy hitters on the global CS:GO scene over the past year or so. The addition of twenty year old Perfecto to the ranks in January 2020 has really helped the team clutch out the close rounds they were seriously struggling with in the months before, and allowed the more explosive players of Boombl4 and Electronic to break rank with more creative plays.
Na’Vi also boast the world’s best player in S1mple. The Ukrainean superstar has been untouchable so far this year, winning the Esports Person of the Year in 2018, finishing 2019 as the number one ranked player in the world and continuing his hot run of form with an MVP showing at IEM Katowice and racking up a record-breaking 81 kills in just two maps earlier this month against BIG.
#2 – Astralis
Last Trophy: BLAST Pro Series 2019 (December 2019)
The absolutely undeniable kings of Counter-Strike in recent times, Astralis remain the game’s most successful side and come in at number two in the latest HLTV rankings. Practically untouchable throughout 2018 and 2019, the all-Danish roster have won a record four Major tournaments, including three on the bounce at the time of writing, and their 406 day reign at the top of the rankings remains a Counter-Strike record.
Astralis are the only side to have their entire five-man roster featured in a year’s top 20 players, they went a record 31 LAN games without losing on Nuke, are one of only three teams to have won back-to-back majors, are friends with the Danish Prime Minister… Honestly, they’re just too good sometimes.
#3 – Fnatic
Last Trophy: ESL Pro League Season XI (April 2020)
Fnatic’s ESL Pro League win in April 2020 not only made them the only team in the tournament’s history to have won three times, but it marked the sixth consecutive event the team had attended and finished in the top five. That is a staggering level of consistency given the competitiveness of Counter-Strike right now, and is a far cry from where the team were a year or so ago.
With the perfect blend of experience from the likes of Flusha, Krimz and Golden and exciting young talent from Brollan, Fnatic are one of the most accomplished teams in the world. Their jaw-dropping way of playing always makes them a popular pick at Unikrn.com, as well as netting them plenty of passionate fans right around the globe.
#4 – Team Liquid
Last Trophy: ESL Pro League Season XI (North America) (April 2020)
North America’s best Counter-Strike representative, Team Liquid’s recent win at ESL Pro League was a demonstration of just how far ahead of their rivals the side truly are. They might have been without the competition from Europe’s finest, but it was still a welcome return to form for Team Liquid.
Just a year or so ago, Liquid were well on course to ushering a whole new era for competitive Counter-Strike. They had emerged as the best placed side to fill in the gap left by Astralis, and embarked on the quickest Intel Grand Slam win the game had ever seen. That year’s StarLadder Major seems to have derailed the side slightly, but they could be the side to watch out for over the course of 2020.
I'm a published author and proud US Army veteran who happens to be a gamer, so I decided to combine the two and love every minute of it! Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments and I'll be sure to get back to you.
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