It is 2026, and I still find myself scrolling back to early 2024 BLAST Premier Spring. Spirit had just guaranteed a spot in the BLAST Spring Finals, and their match against Metizport looked like just another day at the office. Let's be real: Spirit was far and away the favorite. The event was a mish-mash of rosters, and the only teams that could make a dent were the under-hyped ones. That is why OG, Metizport, and SAW could take down some big-named teams. Almost everyone else in this online event had just changed a player.

Spirit vs Metizport was relatively hyped. Metizport had managed to surpass teams like Monte and Falcons, though both squads were clearly still finding a solid lineup. Metizport's one-map victory against Spirit was a success for the unknown CS2 squad. They stole map one thanks to former NiP player Erik 'ztr' Gustafsson and an underwhelming performance from Spirit's prodigy Danil 'donk' Kryshkovets.

Once Spirit made it onto Mirage, the game flipped on its head. Mirage did not just settle down; it grabbed the series by the collar. This is where Dmitry 'sh1ro' Sokolov, Myroslav 'zont1x' Plakhotia, and donk locked in. Mirage flew by as Spirit's T side demolished any defence from Metizport.

The final map Nuke was a closer endeavor, but more or less the same. Spirit took charge, with sh1ro and donk putting the final nail in the coffin. The 2-1 scoreline might have been a scare for Spirit in the early stages of the best of three, but they flipped the script as soon as Metizport made their presence known.

Here is how the maps broke down:

Keep in mind that Spirit's run was smooth. They tackled the likes of Elevate, a newly formed NA roster, and Germany's BIG squad, which had only recently changed multiple players. There was one common element to each best of three: Vertigo.

After donk's poor performance on Vertigo twice that year, it seemed everyone believed the hazardous, double-leveled map was the only way to counter Spirit's star player. Vertigo bared its teeth. In every single best of three in BLAST Premier Spring 2024, Vertigo was picked against Spirit.

It seems Vertigo could be donk's kryptonite. However, half the time he manages to dominate too. It seems no one can stop Spirit, even with Vertigo as their weakness.

From my 2026 seat, that series feels like an early warning label. Spirit's ceiling was absurd, but their floor on Vertigo was real. Metizport showed that one map could be stolen if you aimed at the right pressure point. Other teams noticed. Fans noticed. I noticed. And yet, Spirit still walked away with the series and the Finals spot.

What sticks with me most is the contrast. On Vertigo, donk looked human. On Mirage and Nuke, he looked like a problem no one had solved. sh1ro was steady, zont1x was sharp, and Spirit's team play turned a scare into a statement. That is the thing about elite teams: they do not panic when the first map goes sideways. They just find the next gear.

Metizport deserve credit, too. They did something the rest of Spirit's opponents could not: they won a map. In a best of three, that is no small thing. It does not win you the series, but it proves the giant has a crack. For an unknown squad, that is a victory worth remembering.

So in 2026, when I look back at BLAST Premier Spring 2024, I do not remember a blowout. I remember a warning shot. Spirit survived Metizport, guaranteed their Finals spot, and left everyone with a question that still echoes: can Vertigo really be the map that slows donk down? Half the time, the answer was no. The other half, it was the only answer anyone had.

For more CS2 news and guides, keep an eye on the scene. The story of Spirit, donk, and Vertigo is not over. 🎯