IEM Katowice Win Shows ropz is Counter-Strike’s Curse-Breaker

Throughout ropz’s career, success has trailed him like a loyal dog. He has improved every roster he has been a part of – I don’t need to rehash the famous FACEIT offices story to dispel early cheating accusations.

He is one of a few rare players to have “completed Counter-Strike,” winning a Major, IEM Katowice, and IEM Cologne. That alone is impressive, but one more thing stands about about his most significant victories. In all of them, he was the “missing piece” his team needed to get over the line after what was often years of frustration.

ropz was the catalyst for FaZe Clan’s legendary 2022

When ropz signed for FaZe Clan at the start of 2022, he replaced an olofmeister who, truth be told, was years past his expiration date. On the back of NAVI’s dominant 2021, FaZe needed something fresh to get on top. Step forward, ropz.

FaZe Clan’s IGL karrigan had been chasing Counter-Strike’s biggest prizes for a decade by the time ropz joined the team. Twice, he had finished as runner-up as IEM Katowice over the years, and he was still haunted by the Boston Major debacle back in 2018. A tenured career, but karrigan had very little to show for it, really. Then, as soon as ropz joined, things changed.

IEM Katowice 2022. PGL Major Antwerp 2022. IEM Cologne 2022. All the trophies karrigan and FaZe had been chasing for so long became a reality in just five months. They even won an ESL Pro League for good measure. Coincidence or not, ropz was FaZe Clan’s curse-breaker.

Vitality reap the same benefit from ropz

Now, after joining Vitality in a blockbuster CS2 transfer, ropz has achieved the same feat all over again. For over a decade, French veteran apEX has fought for the elusive IEM Katowice trophy, but has never come close. By the time IEM Katowice 2025 arrived, it was the last remaining gap in his trophy cabinet.

One attempt with ropz, and they closed it out with ease, dominating Team Spirit in 3:0 fashion in the Grand Final. It was so easy, you’d think they’d done this a hundred times before. Once again, ropz was that final piece that apEX needed to break his own personal Counter-Strike curse. He more than played his part, too, dropping 51 kills across the series in what I felt was some of his best CS ever.

His form may have fallen off in 2024, but the move to Vitality has proven to be a breath of fresh air for ropz. They needed him to win, but he needed them, too. The question that will now be asked is, “What’s next?” At this point, ropz has won it all, but at 25 years old, he’ll have an eye on winning everything the game can afford him multiple times over. Can he repeat his FaZe start fully and look to add another Major and Cologne to his collection? Only time will tell. In a few year’s time, perhaps he’ll even join another team struggling to get over the finish line and prove he really is the ultimate curse-breaker in the Counter-Strike scene.