Professional Counter-Strike is built on pressure, travel, late-night practice, and public scrutiny. But behind trophies, Majors, and MVP medals, there are partners who provide emotional stability, perspective, and belief. This Valentine’s feature looks at some of the most notable relationships in CS — stories of support, resilience, and shared journeys.
1. Finn “karrigan” Andersen & Anja Suder
Finn ‘karrigan’ Andersen is one of the greatest in-game leaders in Counter-Strike history, leading multiple international rosters and winning a Major with FaZe. He met Anja Suder around 2017–2018 at a BLAST event in Copenhagen. They got engaged in July 2020 and married in August 2022 during the PGL Major Antwerp period. Anja holds a master’s degree in psychology from the University of Copenhagen and works in sports psychology. Her professional background in mental performance aligns closely with karrigan’s leadership philosophy. Their relationship represents a rare blend of personal and professional understanding at the highest level of competition.
read more
2. Nikola “NiKo” Kovač & Sara Stojanovic
Nikola ‘NiKo’ Kovač has long been considered one of the most mechanically gifted riflers in CS history, earning multiple MVP medals across different eras. In October 2023, NiKo proposed to Sara Stojanovic during a vacation in the Maldives. The couple has been together since the early 2020s, and Sara frequently supports him at tournaments and through social media. NiKo is known for his competitive intensity and emotional investment in every match. Having stability outside the server helps manage the pressure that comes with constantly fighting for titles.
3. Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo & Letícia Lorena
Gabriel ‘FalleN’ Toledo, widely known as the “father” of Brazilian Counter-Strike, has been in a relationship with Letícia Lorena since 2011. Letícia is a lawyer specializing in international law. They got engaged in 2020 and officially married in September 2023 in São Paulo. FalleN’s career spans more than a decade, including two Major victories and multiple roster transitions. Through every stage of Brazilian CS history, Letícia remained a consistent source of support.
4. Justinas “jL” Lekavicius & Kamilė
Justinas ‘jL’ Lekavicius met Kamilė in 2020 while playing matchmaking. At that time, he was seriously considering leaving professional Counter-Strike to work as a courier. Kamilė encouraged him to continue pursuing his career. He proposed on December 31, 2023, and the couple later married. Since then, jL has become a Major champion and one of the standout performers of the CS2 era. Their story reflects how belief at a difficult moment can reshape an entire career.
read more
5. Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken & Caroline “Aonir” Hanish
Russel ‘Twistzz’ Van Dulken revealed that he married Caroline “Aonir” Hanish after keeping the news private for six months. He shared that he proposed on January 1 and that they had already been happily married before making the announcement public. Caroline works in esports as well. She previously covered major Dota 2 events as an observer and later became an Event Marketing Manager at ESL. Their shared professional background gives them mutual understanding of the demands of international competition.
6. Håvard “rain” Nygaard & Sonya
Håvard ‘rain’ Nygaard, MVP of PGL Major Antwerp 2022 and a long-standing member of FaZe Clan, is married to Sonya, known online as SonyaTheEvil. The couple has been together since around 2015 and married in October 2019. Sonya previously built a large Twitch following and was active as a streamer and cosplayer. Rain is also a father of two. He welcomed his first child in January 2023 and his second in May 2025, even missing IEM Dallas 2025 due to family commitments. His career now balances elite competition with fatherhood.
7. Robin “ropz” Kool & Laura
Robin ‘ropz’ Kool is known for his calm, analytical approach to the game and has won Majors and major LAN titles with FaZe. He has publicly thanked his partner Laura for her constant support, noting that she often goes to bed alone while he trains late or travels for tournaments. That quiet understanding and sacrifice rarely appear on broadcast — yet they are part of what sustains long-term success.
read more
8. Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut & Léa Messo
Mathieu ‘ZywOo’ Herbaut, multiple-time world No.1 and the face of Team Vitality, kept his private life out of the spotlight for years. It later became known that he is in a relationship with Léa Messo. The couple has reportedly been together for more than three years. Léa streams on Twitch, creates short-form content, previously worked as a manager at French esports organization WebSpell, and collaborates with several gaming-related brands. She also founded a Discord community focused on supporting women in esports. She regularly attends events and has appeared with ZywOo at award ceremonies such as the HLTV Awards.
9. Mike “Swisher” Schneider & Weronika
Mike ‘Swisher’ Schneider from M80 announced his engagement to Weronika on June 25, 2025. Their story began in summer 2024 during ESL Pro League, when Swisher met her reading a book on the beach. After returning to the practice room, he reportedly told his coach that he thought he was in love. After keeping the relationship private for nearly a year, he proposed on the same beach at sunset. Weronika later commented “Jag älskar dig” (“I love you” in Swedish), confirming the engagement.
read more
10. Mihai “iM” Ivan & Denisa
Mihai ‘iM’ Ivan rose to global prominence during the BLAST Paris Major run with GamerLegion before transitioning to NAVI in the CS2 era. He has been with Denisa since at least 2020, with early photos dating back to his Nexus Gaming period. She is also Romanian and actively shares content related to his career on social media. She supported GamerLegion during their Paris Major final appearance and has accompanied him through his journey from regional competition to the top tier of international Counter-Strike.
The Invisible Advantage: Why Relationships Matter in Esports
Counter-Strike measures performance in ratings, K/D ratios, and trophies. It does not measure emotional endurance. Yet professional play requires mental resilience as much as mechanical skill. Long practice hours, constant travel, online criticism, and high-stakes matches create enormous pressure. Supportive relationships often provide grounding, stability, and perspective.
They help players recover from losses, handle roster uncertainty, and maintain long-term motivation. Behind many championship moments, there is someone off-camera making that level of performance sustainable. And on Valentine’s Day, that invisible support deserves recognition just as much as any trophy lift.
