fnatic have secured their place in the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 after a nail-biting victory over ECLOT, in a series far closer than anticipated. This is a great relief for the British org, after missing out on the PGL Copenhagen Major earlier this year.
Entering the matchup as heavy favorites, fnatic faced an unexpectedly tenacious ECLOT squad and only narrowly avoided a costly upset.
The stakes were clear: with BetBoom eliminating SAW earlier in the day, fnatic only needed to win their match to qualify directly for the Major, bypassing the seventh-place decider due to their high seed. Yet, despite their pedigree, fnatic's path into the Major was anything but smooth.
The Alexandre "bodyy" Pianaro led side started strong, stealing ECLOT's map pick of Ancient 13-4, showcasing the dominance fans hoped to see. However, complacency seemed to creep in during Inferno, fnatic’s map pick.
the nawwk + blameF post-plant >>> pic.twitter.com/b99JHeL5ju
— FNATIC CS (@FNATICCS2) November 20, 2024
What appeared to be a straightforward 2-0 win turned sour as ECLOT fought back, taking Inferno 13-11 and forcing the series to a third map.
On Nuke, both teams matched each other blow-for-blow, with neither side able to pull away. Regulation ended at 12-12, sending the match into overtime. ECLOT surged ahead in the first half of OT1, reaching 15-12 and earning three series points.
Yet, fnatic clawed back, leveling the score at 15-15.
WE STAY ALIVE IN OT pic.twitter.com/Rvz0Th85bq
— FNATIC CS (@FNATICCS2) November 20, 2024
The pressure shifted to ECLOT, and the Czech-majority team faltered. fnatic capitalized, sealing the map 19-17 and securing their ticket to Shanghai.
The former Astralis captain, Benjamin "blameF" Bremer, was the game changer for fnatic on Nuke. He was 12-0 in opening duels!
FUCKING QUALIFIED FOR THE FUCKING MAJOR YESSS I AM SO FUCKING HAPPY AND PROUD been a real grind recently so I am so happy it paid off #alwaysfnatic
— Benjamin Vang Bremer (@blameFFFFF) November 20, 2024
The victory was met with visible relief from the fnatic squad. For team captain bodyy, the moment was particularly sweet, as this marks his first Major qualification in nearly six years.
Veteran Freddy "KRIMZ" Johansson, the lone remnant of fnatic's glory days, will be playing in his staggering 17th Major!
Meanwhile, the team’s Slovakian star, Matúš "MATYS" Šimko, celebrated his maiden Major qualification, a milestone in his young career.
Impossible to describe the moment,one of the biggest dreams i have always fought for in my life came trueTHANK YOU!#alwaysfnatic
— Matys (@matys176) November 20, 2024
fnatic’s long-suffering fans can now savor a rare moment of triumph. Despite their illustrious history - including winning the first-ever CS:GO Major in Jönköping, back in 2013, and holding the second-most Major titles overall - the org has struggled to remain relevant in recent years. A string of disappointing results, roster overhauls, and the abandonment of their roster's Swedish roots in 2022 left fnatic searching for identity and form.
The additions of blameF and AWPer Tim "nawwk" Jonasson earlier this year brought renewed hope, after the team missed the Copenhagen Major. Now, with their place in Shanghai secured, fnatic has a chance to redeem their storied legacy on the biggest stage.
WE DID IT! SEE YOU IN THE SHANGHAI MAJOR OPENING STAGE #ALWAYSFNATIC pic.twitter.com/fqsClbOQKo
— FNATIC CS (@FNATICCS2) November 20, 2024
What do you think? Can this fnatic side make a deep run at the Major?