John Paul M. Joaquin Games 03.29.2023 21:Mar PM EDT

5 Iconic CS:GO Pro Matches to Look Back to Before CS2 Arrives

Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) is now on the horizon, and people can't wait to see what the newest entry in Valve's Counter-Strike series will bring for casual and professional gamers worldwide.

While CS2's arrival would mean the demise of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO), it doesn't mean that the memories would also go. The game was more than that for some people, and that includes professional CS: GO players in various eSports teams.

Here are some of the most iconic matches you may want to look back to as we say our farewells to CS: GO.

Natus Vincere vs. G2 Esports (PGL Stockholm Major 2021)

Natus Vincere (NaVi) and G2 Esports are two of the top Counter-Strike: Global Offensive teams in the world. According to EGamers World, they have faced off against each other many times in the past, but familiarity gave no advantage to either team during PGL Stockholm Major 2021.

The matches - a best of three, were tough for both teams. However, there could only be one victor, and the Ukrainian-based NaVi won the entire 2021 PGL Stockholm Major after beating G2 Esports 2-0, per Clutch Points.

Luminosity vs. Natus Vincere (IEM Katowice 2016)

The grand finals of Intel Extreme Masters Katowice 2016 was an event to remember for many of the teams competing in it and their audience, and the matchup between Luminosity and NaVi during this event is one for the history books.

In another best-of-three match, Luminosity takes the game with a 2-0 score thanks to Gabriel "FalleN" Toledo and his performance during the game, per HLTV.

Astralis vs Virtus.pro (ELEAGUE Major 2017)

The ELEAGUE Major 2017 was the 10th Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Major Championship and the first to be held in Atlanta, Georgia, and to use the Swiss-system for group stages, per HLTV.

The game was a close one for both teams, with each of them having one game under their belt. However, Astralis' Peter "dupreeh" Rasmussen managed to snag the winning round for his team, with fellow teammate Markus "Kjaerbye" Kjærbye being the MVP of the match thanks to his performance.

Cloud9 vs. FaZe (ELEAGUE Major 2018)

One of the most exciting matches during the 2018 ELEAGUE Boston Major was between Cloud9 and FaZe Clan, two very different teams when it comes to their playstyles. According to Rotowire, the latter favors an aggressive playstyle, while the former took a more patient approach.

However, as the proverbs say, "slow and steady wins the race," and Cloud9 proved the phrase with its win against FaZe, with the team becoming the first North American team to achieve a major victory in CS: GO history, according to ESPN.

Cloud 9's Tyler "Skadoodle" Latham kept the team fighting with his performance during the very close 2-1 match between the two teams, per HLTV.

Ninjas in Pyjamas vs. Fnatic (ESL One Cologne 2014)

Last but not least is the matchup between Ninjas in Pyjamas (NiP) and Fnatic during the 2014 ESL One Cologne event, which was held during Gamescom 2014 from Aug. 14 - 17, 2014, per ESL.

The two teams faced off in an intense best-of-three series that saw Ninjas in Pyjamas come out on top with a 2-1 victory, with Christopher "GeT_RiGhT" Alesund leading NiP with his performance during the match, per HLTV. This victory marked the first time NiP won a major CS: GO tournament, per Liquipedia.