Since its creation in 2013, the Major has always been the most important tournament for players. It carries a unique atmosphere. Hungry underdogs rise to challenge the elite destined for the crown. A crown fought over fiercely, rarely spared from surprises and unexpected challengers.
There are some striking examples. Krakow 2017, a final between world number 10 Immortals and number 15 Gambit. Or the most iconic of all, the BLAST.tv Paris Major in 2023. In the playoffs, 8 teams remained, split across two worlds. On one side, four giants: two heavy favorites, Vitality and Heroic, plus two legendary organizations, Liquid and FaZe. On the other side, four massive underdogs: Into The Breach, ranked 79th less than three months before the Major, Monte ranked 48th three months before, Apeks ranked 49th two months before, and GamerLegion ranked 31st on the opening day of the tournament.
Since that event, never have so many favorites reached the Top 8. But never have those 8 teams been so close in level as in this StarLadder Budapest Major. Never have so many stories in Counter-Strike history come within just a few maps of being written. Here is a look at them.
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FURIA, the big bad panther
Brazil sees in its strongest representative a phoenix reborn. In fact, the phoenix has never looked so close to reaching the peak of world Counter-Strike again. After years of doubt, years pulling fans away from the magical and cruel memory of the 2022 Rio Major and that heartbreaking loss to Heroic, FURIA finally looks like the team a whole nation has longed for since the LG and SK era in 2016.
A team transformed by the arrival of YEKINDAR and molodoy. The experienced Latvian entry and the rookie Kazakh sniper have almost single-handedly revived a project many thought was beyond saving.
Now ranked number 1 in the world, riding three straight tier 1 titles, and finishing the Stage 3 in 3-0 fashion with four dominant maps (13-2, 13-5, 13-6, 13-10), the panthers have never been more untouchable. FalleN also has a chance to break Dan “apEX” Madesclaire’s record by becoming the player with the longest gap between Major victories, 9 years 5 months and 4 days after ESL One Cologne 2016. But they must stay wary of bad surprises, like the shocking derby loss to Pain at the last Major in Austin.+
Vitality, a trophy for history
The hive reached playoffs without too much trouble, dropping only their opening BO1, just like in the previous Major. Vitality dominated the first half of the season, from Katowice to Austin: 7 straight tournaments, a 30-match win streak, an ESL Grand Slam, and an era of dominance that left a permanent mark on Counter-Strike history.
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But the player break seemed to soften the sting. Less sharp, they’ve only hit the mark once in the past six months, at ESL Pro League. Otherwise, the team around one of the two contenders for player of the year, ZywOo, had to settle for solid Top 4 finishes.
Results far below expectations for both players and fans. Critics have been loud, despite the team’s overall stability. And yet, a win in Hungary would allow them to accomplish what no one ever has: two Majors and nine titles in a single year. Only Astralis 2018 comes close (ten titles, but only one Major). apEX could also become the first non-Danish player to win four Majors, joining the Scandinavian quartet Magisk, Xyp9x, gla1ve, and device.
Spirit, donk against the world
The Eastern powerhouse is only a shadow of itself in 2025. And yet the year started perfectly: a win at BLAST Bounty S1, then a dream run to the IEM Katowice final against Vitality. A clean 3-0 loss later, the machine began to sputter.
Only one bright spot reignited hope: their IEM Cologne title, the first event for new addition Zweih. But even that success hides a structural problem: donk-dependence. The 2024 best player in the world seems forced to produce numbers once thought impossible, even beyond the untouchable standards set by s1mple and ZywOo. In Germany, the Russian superstar averaged a 1.50 rating and 105.2 ADR, meaning he essentially removed more than one player per round he played. And guess what? Donk has made this Major personal. Two opening BO1s with 2.38 and 1.86 ratings and a tense BO3 against MOUZ at 1.51. His overall Swiss stage rating: 1.78. Unreal.
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Falcons, is the curse finally over?
What would Major playoffs be without the international superteam? Or rather, a super-star team. The mission is clear: dominate world Counter-Strike. With millions spent, Falcons built a theoretically unmatched firepower. First and foremost, NiKo. Considered the greatest rifler in Counter-Strike history thanks to unmatched longevity at elite level. But also a king without a crown, famous for heartbreak on the biggest stages. At 28 years old, even he admits opportunities will become rare.
Alongside him stands his loyal prodigy, 2024’s second-best player, m0NESY. Joining them: a new wonderkid from the same academy as donk. Maxim “Kyousuke” Lukin, only 17. No adaptation period needed: a 1.17 rating since his arrival. The lineup is completed by Damjan “kyxsan” Stoilkovski and René “TeSeS” Madsen, responsible for the structure and the dirty roles. They have a reputation for choking in important moments, unless…?
MOUZ, can consistency finally pay off?
On the opposite side of Falcons stands MOUZ. A starless team, built mostly from its own academy talents. Originally meant to be a talent pool to sell from, they have become the second most consistent team of the 2025 season, right behind Vitality. No loud personalities, no flashy style, but an elite tactical chemistry crafted by sycrone and Xyp9x.
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Since Katowice 2025, where they had to field an academy stand-in, they’ve played five finals (one title) and eight semifinals. That’s how steady they’ve been.
Beyond that, MOUZ features the only Hungarian player in the tournament: one of the five best AWPers in the world in 2025, Ádám “torzsi” Torzsás. After a shaky start crushed by pressure, he woke up. His monster match against Falcons to qualify 3-1 lit up the local fans in the studio. A taste of what awaits him on Thursday in the MVM Dome, in front of 20,000 fans fully behind him.
The Mongolz, sunshine after the storm
This is the story of a team from a remote region, barely present on the international scene, that decided to shake an entire continent: Asia. This is the story of The Mongolz. A roster shaped by mentor Erdenedalai “maaRaa” Bayanbat, a group of small-town kids who became giants.
But on October 22, a bombshell hit: The Mongolz benched Azbayar “Senzu” Munkhbold, their best player of the year, projected to finish in the world’s top 6. The reasons remain unclear. But losing him just two months before the Major shocked the Counter-Strike world.
He was hastily replaced by Controlez, the only realistic option since all other local talents from The Huns were locked in Stage 1 and ineligible. A player from Chinggis Warrior, the country’s third-best team, with zero tier 1 experience. And yet, Controlez revived hope for an entire nation. Two encouraging events at IEM Chengdu and BLAST Rivals. Then, in Stage 3 of the Major, the best highlight of the prelims and the highest team rating (1.23). Enough to keep the dream alive.
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FaZe, the party crashers
What’s a proper Major party without an uninvited guest? Then again, is FaZe really an underdog?
Starting from Stage 1, Finn “karrigan” Andersen’s squad had no choice but to fight through everything thrown at them. Their run was heroic, though far from perfect. They were one round away from elimination at 1-2 in Stage 1, survived five map points, and were 0.4 seconds from going home before karrigan denied History’s defuse.
Then came another narrow win over Fluxo, then Stage 2 where the beast was unleashed: 3 matches, 3 wins, instant qualification. And for the opening match of Stage 3, they stunned Vitality, the best team of 2025. Never count out the double Major finalists of 2024. They are most dangerous when no one expects them.
NAVI, is the Blad3 system rising again?
Since their glorious 2024, ending on a sour note at the Shanghai Major, NAVI is no longer the tactical ideal it once was. The results aren’t bad, but simply aligned with the level of their roster: good players, but not the best, and not ready to challenge the absolute elite.
For a moment, their IEM Cologne 2025 run and the arrival of Drin “Makazze” Shaqiri sparked hope, but it didn’t last. NAVI now stands as the gatekeeper of tier 1. Strong enough to hold the door, not strong enough to threaten royalty.
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In short, exactly the same situation as before the Copenhagen Major 2024… where it all began. So maybe, just maybe…
