Throughout CS:GO, there were plenty of legendary esports lineups who etched their names into the history books. The game’s run between 2012 and 2023 saw iconic teams find new ways to beat their opponents, starting impressive new eras. Today, I’m taking a look at the 10 best CS:GO teams of all time, with a bit of history about each. I reckon you’ll recognize a few of the names seen here.
10. FaZe Clan (2017-2018)
- Roster: karrigan, rain, olofmeister, NiKo, and GuardiaN
Unfortunately, this FaZe Clan roster will be more remembered for what they didn’t win rather than what they did. Their Boston 2018 Major failure is among the most iconic CS:GO moments of all time.
On paper, they made for the best superteam ever. They’re still one of the best CS:GO teams of all time, but I just know they could have been so much more.
9. EnVyUs (2015)
- Roster: Happy, NBK-, kennyS, apEX, and kioShiMa
The French shuffle has seen many a roster come and go over the years, but none better than 2015’s Cluj-Napoca Major winners, EnVyUs. You had kennyS dominating with the Big Green, apEX in his entry fragger days, and NBK- when he was actually good.
The reason EnVyUs aren’t higher is because they burned bright and fast. This roster was only a winning team for around six months – it’s easy to forget that at this point.
8. Virtus.pro (2014-2016)
- Roster: Snax, TaZ, byali, NEO, and pashaBiceps
The legendary Virtus Plow roster has to be here. They may have stayed together too long in the end, but between 2014 and 2016, Virtus.pro were magic to watch, and undoubtedly among the best CS:GO teams ever.
Every player here is a legend of the game. Trophies galore, a Major win; it’s just a shame about that damn Mercedes.
7. Team Liquid (2019)
Stewie2K proved to be the missing piece in the puzzle for a Liquid roster that had an inferiority complex against the dominant Astralis. There was a period in 2019 where they simply won every tournament they played, marking one of the highest peaks of any of the best CS:GO teams ever.
Personal disagreements outside the server and IGL nitr0 leaving for Valorant meant Liquid’s peak was incredibly short. We can’t place them higher than 7th, but they were a hell of a team.
6. Luminosity / SK Gaming (2016)
- Roster: FalleN, fer, coldzera, TACO, and fnx
First under Luminosity before being picked up by SK Gaming, this roster represents the peak of Brazilian Counter-Strike. You had FalleN in his prime, and coldzera during his stint as the best CS:GO player in the world, as well as a solid supporting cast.
During 2016, this CS:GO roster won a Major under both organizations. Back-to-back Majors is no small feat, but the Brazilians made the game look far too easy.
5. FaZe Clan (2022)
- Roster: karrigan, rain, ropz, broky, and Twistzz
On paper, this was not the FaZe Clan superteam of years prior. But this was the squad that won trophies time and again, securing the PGL Major Antwerp 2022 as well as the Intel Grand Slam.
Their 2022 was so good, it catapults them into the conversation of the best CS:GO teams of all time. They might’ve been even higher, had they taken the same form into 2023.
4. Natus Vincere (2020-2021)
- Roster: Boombl4, s1mple, b1t, electroNic, and Perfecto
Coming out of the online era, Natus Vincere were hitting their peak. They were the undoubted favorites for every tournament they played, helped by s1mple in his prime. It was a remarkable period, seeing some of the best CS ever played.
The PGL Major Stockholm 2021 was their crowning achievement, but it was a spell filled with trophies for NAVI. What could have been, eh?
3. Fnatic (2014-2015)
- Roster: JW, flusha, KRIMZ, pronax, and olofmeister
Early CS:GO Fnatic were great, but once they added KRIMZ and olofmeister over znajder and Devilwalk, they were catapulted to one of the best CS:GO teams of all time.
Together, this roster managed two CS:GO Major wins, as well as countless other trophies. A golden team from a golden era, Fnatic will never be forgotten, no matter how bad it gets in the modern era.
2. Ninjas in Pyjamas (2012-2014)
- Roster: Xizt, Fifflaren, friberg, GeT_RiGhT, and f0rest
In the early days of CS:GO, Ninjas in Pyjamas were the dominant force. They embraced the game while other teams resisted and stayed on 1.6 and Source, allowing them to amass a LAN winning streak of 87-0 – a record that remains unbeaten to this day.
NiP only won one Major, despite reaching four Grand Finals in total. If they had won all of them, perhaps we’d be talking the number one spot here. However, they didn’t change the game quite like the number one team on this list…
1. Astralis (2018-2020)
- Roster: dev1ce, Xyp9x, dupreeh, gla1ve, and Magisk
There’s no real argument: peak Astralis is the best CS:GO team of all time. Look at their credentials – four-time CS:GO Major winners, three times back to back. They reinvented how utility was used in the game, writing the book for every great team to come.
This five-man core single-handedly elevated the game of Counter-Strike. In their heyday, they were truly unbeatable, only collapsing due to the dawn of the online era, followed by dev1ce’s departure.
