Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) is the fourth and most successful entry into Valve Corporation’s first person shooter. Featuring two teams of five and played on a best of fifteen format, the teams are split into two factions: Terrorist forces and Counter-Terrorists. Terrorists can win a round by either killing all of the opposing side or planting their bomb on one of a map’s two bombsites and waiting for the timer to run down, whilst Counter-Terrorists can win by either killing the enemy side before they plant the bomb, waiting for the round timer to drop down without the bomb going off, or just defusing the bomb after it has been planted.
CS:GO is a game of immense skill ceilings, intense moments of strategy and jaw-dropping reaction speeds. There are teams located all around the world, delivering some of the best moments of action ever seen in the Esports world. To help you better understand this remarkable title, here are some of the very best Counter-Strike: Global Offensive sides in the world.
Astralis
Creating arguably the greatest dynasty in CS:GO history, Danish side Astralis might just the most legendary Esports org in the world. The first side in CS history to win four Majors and to win three of them back to back, Astralis have revolutionsed the way in the game’s competitive community and Esports industry on the whole have progressed over the past few years.
Dominating Counterstrike betting markets since their first Major win in 2018, Astralis have brought with them a new way of coaching, introduced the first seven man roster in the game’s history, have shown the importance of a player’s diet and mentalities with professional dietitians and mental coaches and now boast one of the most extensive range of social media influencers across multiple platforms now.
Fnatic
The second most successful side in Counter-Strike history with three Major Championships, Fnatic are still one of the biggest organisations in the Esports industry. Their core from 2015 as become one of the most immediately recognisable in the game’s history, with their rivalries against French side LDLC and fellow Swedish giants Ninjas in Pyjamas delivering some of the most infamous moments fans have ever been treated to.
Fnatic are still known as one of the most entertaining and innovative sides active in CS:GO, with the likes of Flusha and JW regularly pulling out lesser known and hardly seen weapons as well as the odd knife kill.
Cloud9
North American Counter-Strike has a bit of a mixed bag in terms of its success on the servers and reception from the wider community. Only one North American Counter-Strike side has ever won a Major Championship in the game’s history, with Cloud9 having the honour of calling themselves that side after their win on home soil at the ELEAGUE Boston Major in 2018.
Still one of the biggest orgs in the Esports industry, Cloud9’s CS:GO side broke up quite quickly after their premier win, but have recently been taken over by legendary commentator HenryG and former Vitality IGL ALEX to mark a seriously ambitious new chapter in the team’s history