s1mple leads Na’Vi to best CSGO major win ever in Stockholm

Natus Vincere’s triumph at the Stockholm Major marked a watershed moment in competitive Counter-Strike, ending the two-year championship drought with an unprecedented perfect run.

After numerous near-misses throughout his legendary career, Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev finally captured the elusive Major title that had defined his career narrative.

The Russian-Ukrainian powerhouse delivered a commanding 2-0 victory over G2 Esports in the grand finals, securing both the championship trophy and the historic $1 million grand prize. This achievement established Stockholm as the first Major where a team completed the entire tournament without conceding a single map, setting a new benchmark for competitive dominance.

This victory positioned Na’Vi as the definitive champion of CS:GO’s return to offline competition. Immediately following the decisive match, s1mple addressed the capacity stadium crowd with his triumphant declaration: “major is ours! Major is Na’Vi!”

Natus Vincere Stockholm Major championship roster

• Ilya “Perfecto” Zalutskiy – Support/Anchor
• Kirill “Boombl4” Mikhaylov – In-game Leader
• Valerii “b1t” Vakhovskyi – Rifler
• Denis “electronic” Sharipov – Entry Fragger
• Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev – AWPer/Star Player
• Andrii “B1ad3” Horodenskyi (Coach) – Strategic Mastermind

Despite universal recognition as one of Counter-Strike’s all-time greats, the PGL Stockholm championship represented s1mple’s inaugural Major victory. Combined with his earlier Intel Grand Slam accomplishment this season, Na’Vi’s primary sniper has now effectively collected every significant trophy available in professional CS:GO competition.

At this career pinnacle, s1mple boasts an ESL Pro League championship, dual ESL Cologne victories, an IEM Katowice title, and numerous additional accolades complementing his trophy cabinet.

Following previous indications about his competitive schedule, s1mple may potentially take an extended break lasting up to six months following this landmark achievement. The Major championship had repeatedly escaped s1mple’s grasp throughout his career, making this exceptionally profitable competitive year worthy of concluding with substantial rest. While enthusiasts would certainly feel s1mple’s absence should these speculations prove accurate, Counter-Strike’s premier competitor will undoubtedly return to competitive action when refreshed.

Na’Vi’s Ancient T-side Dominance Secures Opening Map

An unexpected map selection process resulted in G2 Esports choosing Ancient for the initial confrontation. Natus Vincere controlled the opening exchanges decisively, though G2 managed a temporary recovery through a four-versus-two situation culminating in AmaNEk’s crucial clutch play. This momentum shift proved temporary as Na’Vi immediately responded with a successful economic round retaliation.

Both organizations continued exchanging firearm rounds until reaching a 7-7 deadlock. Precise sniping execution from s1mple provided Na’Vi the narrow 8-7 edge heading into the second half, though this marginal advantage was promptly erased by NiKo’s clutch pistol round performance.

With scores level again at 9-9, G2’s coordinated teamwork secured another critical round. Natus Vincere ultimately began establishing separation during the concluding stages of the Stockholm Major grand finals opening map. A critical one-against-two clutch from b1t combined with exceptional retake scenarios subsequently positioned boombl4’s squad ahead 15-11. One additional chaotic A-site execution finalized the result. The closely contested battle on Na’Vi’s selected battleground indicated G2 Esports would provide substantial competition throughout the series.

JaCkz’s Nuke Performance Forces Overtime Thriller

Natus Vincere’s competitors appeared supremely self-assured returning for the second map. Since Nuke represented Na’Vi’s selection, G2 Esports confronted a significantly challenging scenario on their opponents’ preferred territory. Natus Vincere had secured 19 victories from their previous 20 Nuke appearances, granting the CIS roster a definitive advantage at championship point.

G2 astonished spectators by capturing the initial pistol round and subsequent follow-up, though Na’Vi reclaimed control through rifle-round proficiency. The situation appeared dire, but G2’s entry fragger Audric “JaCkz” Jug emerged as the first-half standout with 17 eliminations by round 13. G2 Esports guaranteed its essential eighth counter-terrorist round with two purchase opportunities remaining. Critical frags from nexa established the 10-5 halftime advantage.

A pistol round success for G2 was rapidly countered by an unanticipated force purchase, once again handing Na’Vi the strategic initiative. s1mple even transformed a G2 ramp assault into complete devastation through an impeccable five-player spray sequence.

This defensive effort proved insufficient to contain the offensive pressure, as G2 persistently executed bomb site rushes across 15 rounds. Natus Vincere initiated a last-second tactical pause to reevaluate their competitive approach. Round 28 concluded with heartbreaking consequences for G2, where NiKo failed to connect with four Desert Eagle shots against an oblivious s1mple. NiKo responded dramatically with two eliminations during a one-versus-four clutch scenario in round 30, though Natus Vincere manipulated the timer to force overtime.

An early frag by NiKo targeting s1mple compelled Na’Vi to preserve equipment with four surviving team members. This conservative approach yielded dividends during the subsequent two rounds as s1mple finally achieved his PGL Stockholm Major grand finals 30-kill milestone. Following additional exchanges, NiKo demolished a desperate Na’Vi B-site execution to necessitate double overtime.

The outcome of round 37 appeared decided when b1t executed a flank for two kills, though an audacious triple spray from AmaNEk seized triumph from impending defeat. This momentary relief proved fleeting, as crossfire coordination between b1t, Boombl4, and s1mple positioned Natus Vincere at both match and tournament championship point. One successful B-site defense later and Na’Vi officially became the Stockholm Major grand finals champion.

s1mple Crowned PGL Stockholm Major MVP

s1mple unquestionably earned the Most Valuable Player designation for the Stockholm Major.

The Ukrainian sniper elevated his performance exponentially during the playoff stages, concluding the tournament averaging 93.8 damage per round with 0.95 kills per round. He registered an extraordinary 1.74 kill-death ratio throughout the Stockholm Major competition, accumulating 72 eliminations across the two grand finals maps. Despite his already historic competitive legacy, this $2 million championship event signifies the inaugural occasion where s1mple has secured a Valve-sponsored Major championship.

No reproduction without permission：Games Guides Website » s1mple leads Na’Vi to best CSGO major win ever in Stockholm Complete analysis of Na'Vi's historic Stockholm Major victory and s1mple's championship breakthrough