HLTV Feature: Introducing the 38 Rookies at Copenhagen Major

Almost a year has passed since the last Major, and this Copenhagen Major sees 38 new faces in action.

Of the 24 teams competing, 13 feature players making their Major debut, with a wide range of ages, nationalities, offline experience, and current competitiveness. Let’s delve into the 38 rookies set to grace the Copenhagen stage.

Category 1: Rising Stars

A few rookies have already made an impact, with three of them helping their teams advance to the second stage of the Major. The standout among these is Danil Kryshkovets, alias donk, whose 1.70 rating at IEM Katowice propelled Spirit to victory. Remarkably, they lost only one map in that tournament. donk continued his strong form in RMR and BLAST Spring Showdown with a 1.53 rating.

Besides donk, Spirit’s Myroslav Plakhotia, known as zont1x, is another key rookie, often overlooked but functioning as the team’s third star. At just 18, zont1x consistently delivers solid stats, reminiscent of Emil Reif (Magisk) in his early days with Vitality. With the duo of Leonid Vishnyakov (chopper) and Boris Vorobiev (magixx), Spirit is a serious contender for the title.

The final top rookie is Jimi Salo, or Jimpphat, who has played a significant role in MOUZ’s impressive performance since July last year. Jimpphat was instrumental in their 3-0 run in the European RMR and their 2-0 win over dominant Spirit. Despite being the second-youngest average age team, MOUZ has the potential to make deep runs and challenge for the championship.

Category 2: Veterans Guiding the Newcomers

The remaining 35 rookies will battle it out in the opening stages, striving for a spot in the top 16. Fortunately, these young talents are supported by experienced veterans who can share their valuable tournament wisdom.

AMKAL exemplifies this, with Aleksandr Timkiv (TRAVIS) and Kaisar Faiznurov (ICY) both making their Major debuts. However, they are accompanied by Aleksei Trofimov (NickelBack), Vladislav Kravchenko (Krad), and Igor Bezotecheskiy (Forester), all with Major experience. Back in 2021, they nearly reached the playoffs at PGL Stockholm Major. AMKAL aims for a similar outcome this time.

Eternal Fire is another example, with Ismailcan Dörtkardeş (XANTARES), Calyx, and XANTARES carrying Turkish hopes. Their ELEAGUE Boston Major experience left fans wanting more, and now, with Özgür Eker (woxic) and rookie Ali Haydar Yalçın (Wicadia), EF is a favorite to advance.

Imperial completes this category, with Lucas Bacelar (decenty) and Kaiky Santos (noway) as key figures in their Montreux qualification. They are guided by HEN1, João Vasconcellos (felps), and Vinicius Figueiredo (VINI), who bring ample experience to the table. Imperial’s match against ENCE promises to be intriguing.

Category 3: Small Countries, Big Talents

This group consists of rookies from less represented regions. SAW is the standout, with Ricardo Pacheco (fox) being the only player with previous Major experience. They narrowly missed out on the Antwerp Major RMR, losing a crucial 2-2 match to Outsiders.

Christopher Fernandes (MUTiRiS) and Ricardo Oliveira (roman), both 31, lead a team where the other three players lack Major experience. After a 0-2 start in the RMR, SAW rallied to secure their spot. Now, with a BLAST Spring Finals appearance under their belt, they eye a playoff run.

Portuguese representation comes from KOI’s Tiago Moura (JUST) and Renato Gonçalves (stadodo), adding to the nation’s seven players at the Major. Adam Marian (adamS) becomes the fourth Romanian player to compete at a Major after iM, volt, and lauNX.

Apeks, with Norwegian Ådne Fredriksen (sense) and Macedonian Aleksandar Kjulukoski (CacaNito) making their Major debuts, completes this category. Fellow Macedonian Damjan Stoilkovski (kyxsan), the HEROIC in-game leader, adds to the Major experience. With four Norwegians in the Major, this is the highest number since ESL One Katowice 2015.

Category 4: Writing Their Own Histories

The final 20 rookies are spread across five teams, all newcomers to the Major scene. TheMongolz stands out, with Munkhbold Azbayar (Senzu), Usukhbayar Banzragch (910), and Ayush Batbold (mzinho) making them the youngest average age team. Despite their youth, they are considered favorites to progress.

Before the Major, TheMongolz were a force in Asia and represented the region in other circuits, impressing at IEM Katowice with losses to eventual finalists ENCE and champions Spirit.

paiN Gaming also features three rookies, Vinicius Pereira (n1ssim), Lucas Meneghini (lux), and Kaue Kaschuk (kauez), who have competed in smaller events like the Paris Major Americas RMR, ECL Rotterdam, and WePlay Academy League. Their only experienced teammates, Lucas Soares (nqz) and Rodrigo Bittencourt (biguzera), previously fell short in the Challenger Stage. paiN hopes to overcome Apeks’ first test and make strides at the Major.

9 Pandas, aside from seized, are all rookies, with Denis Kostin (seized) last appearing at a Major six years ago. Their inspiring journey saw them eliminated in the RMR A Group before defeating Astralis and GamerLegion in the Last Chance Qualifier. Seized’s wealth of experience should aid his four rookie teammates in adapting to the Major atmosphere.

Lynn Vision Gaming consists of five Major debutants. Gaining some experience at EPL S18 and IEM Sydney, they narrowly missed out on defeating TheMongolz in the Asian RMR but managed to qualify ahead of TYLOO and Grayhound. This marks the first time a Chinese team has qualified for a Major in recent years.

The last team, ECSTATIC, is an all-Danish surprise. Busy with online competitions throughout 2023, they made headlines mainly through two ECL events. Their road to the Major was bumpy, requiring a Decider Qualifier victory over Monte, OG, and Guild Eagles to secure their spot. As the only all-Danish squad and the only team to qualify via the RMR Decider Qualifier, ECSTATIC enters the Major with unique credentials.