It is 2026, and I still measure every Counter-Strike playoff thriller against FaZe Clan vs Team Spirit at the PGL Major Copenhagen. I was not just watching a match; I was watching two philosophies collide. On one side, Karrigan and FaZe, a roster with four Major winners and countless finals. On the other, donk and Spirit, a teenage phenomenon and a team that had just dismantled the world at IEM Katowice 2024. Was this experience versus youth? Or was it the moment where the old guard refused to move?
The stakes were simple: the winner moved one step closer to the grand final. Earlier, Team Vitality and Cloud9 had already decided the first semi-finalist. FaZe had qualified 3-2, beating Complexity in the decisive game. Spirit had cruised 3-0. I remember thinking, 'Spirit look untouchable.' But Majors are never that clean, are they?
The Rosters
| FaZe Clan | Team Spirit |
|---|---|
| Finn 'Karrigan' Andersen | Leonid 'chopper' Vishnyakov |
| Håvard 'rain' Nygaard | Boris 'magixx' Vorobyev |
| Robin 'ropz' Kool | Danil 'donk' Kryshkovets |
| Helvijs 'broky' Saukants | Dmitriy 'sh1ro' Sokolov |
| David 'frozen' Čerňanský | Myroslav 'zont1x' Plakhotja |
Spirit had won IEM Katowice 2024 with a clean 3-0 final. donk was the MVP at 17. In his first Major, he could make history. But FaZe had Karrigan, rain, ropz, broky, and frozen—players who knew how to survive the pressure. Could Spirit really come to Copenhagen and write history? Or would experience win again?
Map 1: FaZe Draw First Blood
FaZe started with a happy first half. On the defensive side, Karrigan was heavily contested at bombsite B, but he did not hide. The Danish captain was the highlight with a 13-6 KD. donk could not make his usual impact. Spirit won the pistol and the next round, but FaZe quickly regained control. A clean eco round closed the map. Spirit lost 13-7. I remember the arena noise—FaZe fans roaring, Spirit fans stunned. 🔥
Map 2: Nuke, Double Overtime, Heartbreak
Nuke was a different story. FaZe won an impressive pistol led by frozen with four kills. But on the CT side, Spirit opened a 7-2 lead with controlled rounds. FaZe adapted, yet the half ended 8-4 for Spirit. The gap closed to 11-9, and Spirit abused FaZe's Nuke outside, profiting on bombsite B. FaZe refused to surrender and pulled it to overtime. In the first overtime, FaZe produced a clutch that I still rewatch. But Spirit dominated the second overtime, winning 19-16. The series was tied. Was this the moment the young Russians proved they belonged?
Map 3: Vertigo, Karrigan's Ace
Vertigo was FaZe's permanent ban. But Karrigan had an ace up his sleeve. He exploited Spirit's recent fragility on the map and immediately showed his game with the pistol. FaZe won seven rounds in a row on the defensive side. Spirit came closer, and the first half closed 8-4. A broky clutch—practically doing nothing, as the joke went—kept FaZe alive. In the second half, ropz delivered an incredible clutch. FaZe looked in control.
Then Spirit re-entered the match when FaZe only needed one round. From 12-5, FaZe could not close. Spirit evolved, forced overtime, and emotions took over. But FaZe recovered. A rain clutch sealed it. FaZe won 16-13 on a map they usually ban. To Spirit's surprise, experience held.
What It Means in 2026
In 2026, I still think about that match. It gave FaZe a semi-final against Team Vitality. It gave donk a painful first Major lesson. And it gave me a reminder: Counter-Strike Majors are ripe for new stories and surprises. Experience won that night, but youth did not lose. Karrigan's team advanced, but Spirit's era was coming. Was it the last stand of the old guard? Or just the first chapter of a new rivalry? I am still not sure. That is why I love this game. 🏆