French esports organization Gentle Mates has officially ended its involvement in Counter-Strike 2, releasing the Spanish roster it acquired in 2025. The players have already returned to the Iberian Soul tag and are competing in the Esports World Cup 2026 Open Qualifier. The announcement confirms reports that Gentle Mates were preparing to leave the game after struggling to translate their investment into consistent results at the highest level.
Gentle Mates close their CS2 chapter
Gentle Mates announced the decision on August 7, thanking the players, staff and supporters who followed the project.
This marks the end of our adventure on CS2. A chapter closes, thank you to our players, to our staff, and to everyone who supported us.
The organization entered Counter-Strike in 2025 by signing the Spanish Iberian Soul lineup. The team initially showed promise on the tier-two circuit and climbed into a competitive position in the Valve Regional Standings, putting themselves in contention for appearances at major international events.
However, a period of inactivity followed by disappointing results at crucial tournaments eventually hurt their ranking and prevented the roster from establishing itself among Europe’s leading teams.
Domestic success did not translate to the highest level
Gentle Mates enjoyed several strong results during their time in Counter-Strike. Their biggest trophy came at IstanbuLAN, while the team also finished runner-up at Radio Popular Roman Imperium Cup II, Roman Imperium Cup V and LORGAR RANKINGS Season 1.
They added several top-four finishes, including Perfect World CS Challenge Series 2, StarLadder StarSeries Fall and Roman Imperium Cup III.
The situation was very different against stronger international opposition. Gentle Mates failed to advance from the group stage at PGL Astana, IEM Rio, ESL Pro League and PGL Bucharest, leaving the organization without the breakthrough result needed to establish the project at Tier 1.
Roster changes preceded Gentle Mates’ exit
The lineup had already undergone significant changes before the organization officially announced its departure.
Antonio “MartinezSa” Martinez left during the off-season to join HEROIC, removing one of the team’s key pieces. Joey “CRUC1AL” Steusel subsequently joined as a stand-in, while Daniel “djL” Narancic began assisting the roster as coach.
Former captain Eloy “deLonge” Suárez also recently announced that he was entering free agency.
With Gentle Mates no longer supporting the project, the remaining players have returned to the Iberian Soul name. Their current lineup consists of:
- Alejandro “alex” Masanet
- Alejandro “mopoz” Fernández-Quejo Cano
- Pere “sausol” Solsona Saumell
- David “dav1g” Granado Bermudo
- Joey “CRUC1AL” Steusel
- Daniel “djL” Narancic — coach
Iberian Soul immediately begin their fight for EWC
There will be little time for the players to reflect on the organizational change. Iberian Soul are already competing at the Esports World Cup 2026 Open Qualifier, where 64 teams are fighting for only four places in the $2 million main event.
The qualifier therefore represents an immediate opportunity for the former Gentle Mates roster to prove that the project can continue independently despite losing organizational backing.
Community criticizes the timing of the announcement
While the decision itself was not entirely unexpected, the way Gentle Mates announced their departure generated a largely negative reaction among supporters.
Several fans argued that the organization waited too long to publicly acknowledge the end of the project. Others described the short farewell message as underwhelming considering the time the players had spent representing the club. One supporter wrote:
The timing isn’t good, guys, it had to be done before.
Another criticized the presentation of the announcement:
It’s just a shame to announce it like that, to have neglected the scene so much.
Some fans were particularly disappointed that a roster with considerable potential was leaving without a more substantial farewell, while others questioned Gentle Mates’ overall management of its Counter-Strike division.
There were still positive messages directed toward the players themselves, with supporters thanking the Spanish lineup for its time under the M8 banner and hoping to see the organization return to Counter-Strike under better circumstances.
For now, however, Gentle Mates’ Counter-Strike chapter is officially closed, while the players’ story continues under the familiar Iberian Soul name.
