The German Counter-Strike scene may be on the verge of a major resurgence, with rumors of a potential new line-up circulating around social media.
According to well-known leaker "German CS Leaks" on Twitter/X, a new lineup featuring some of the biggest names in German CS history is in the works.
New German Superteam in the Making?
The rumored roster includes three players from the legendary BIG Clan lineup of 2020, which reached world number one status: Florian "syrsoN" Rische, Tizian "tiziaN" Feldbusch, and Nils "k1to" Gruhne. They will reportedly be joined by David "prosus" Hesse, another former BIG player, as well as rising talent Phillip "w1dow" Hemke, who has only made brief substitute appearances for Alternate AttaX thus far.
Adding even more excitement to the speculation is the possibility that the team will revive Sprout, a German organization that shut down operations in early 2024. If this proves to be true, the team would likely be managed by Daniel Paulus, who previously held the role for nearly six years before Sprout disbanded. Paulus is currently managing the German Simracing team "Team Nitro".The return of a second strong German team would be a huge development for the domestic scene. Besides BIG Clan, no other German team has managed to break into the top-tier international scene for years.
A Reunion of Champions?
The rumored lineup has deep ties to both BIG and Sprout. In early 2020, syrsoN and k1to transferred from Sprout to BIG, where they joined tiziaN, Ismailcan "XANTARES" Dörtkardeş, and Johannes "tabseN" Wodarz to form the strongest BIG Clan-roster of all time.
Under the leadership of Head Coach Tobias "tow b" Herberhold and In-Game Leader tabseN, BIG dominated the online era during the pandemic, reaching the coveted #1 spot in the HLTV rankings - a feat never before achieved by a German-majority team.
However, the roster slowly fell apart: XANTARES left to form Eternal Fire with his Turkish countrymen. tiziaN was benched in 2022, as were k1to in 2023 and syrsoN at the end of 2024, following his second stint with BIG. Today, tabseN is the only remaining player from that golden era. Meanwhile, Sprout also struggled heavily after losing syrsoN and k1to, eventually transitioning to an international lineup.
With BIG currently being the only German team in the HLTV top 100, fans have long dreamed of a second major team competing at the highest level - and now, that dream might finally be coming true.
Can This Roster Work?
If the rumors are true, this potential lineup would offer an interesting mix of experience and young talent:
- tiziaN - A veteran support player known for his selfless play style and leadership qualities. On Entropiq he gathered a lot of experience as an in-game leader, making him the most likely candidate for said position.
- k1to - An aggressive rifler with strong firepower, but inconsistent performances. In the right environment, he could definitely shine again.
- syrsoN - Germany’s greatest ever AWPer. In his prime, he was a game-changer and to this day the only German player to ever make the HLTV top 20 list, but his form has been shaky ever since the switch to CS2.
- prosus - A young talent who had a brief chance in BIG’s main roster, but couldn’t cement his place. This could be his shot at redemption.
- w1dow - The unknown factor. He has previously appeared as a stand-in for Alternate AttaX and could be a hidden gem.
Another major question is: Who will coach this squad? The most obvious candidate, Fatih "gob b" Dayik, is likely unavailable due to his BIG shareholder status, despite no longer acting as head coach. One alternative could be Nikola "LEGIJA" Ninić, who is currently without a team and has extensive experience in both coaching and the German scene.
On paper, this is a roster that would both be available due to all the players being either benched or teamless, and it would make sense in terms of roles on the team. With tiziaN most likely both leading and supporting and syrsoN on the AWP, k1to could play his natural entry role with prosus and w1dow in the rifle-pack. This, however, is a topic for the future. For now, there is a lot of anticipation whether the roster will indeed be formed.
A New Era for German CS?
For years, German CS fans have hoped for a second top-tier team to emerge alongside BIG. While Sprout in its later years shifted to an international approach, a revival with a fully German lineup could be exactly what the scene needs.
The big question remains: Will this project actually materialize? Or is it just another rumor that won’t come true?
Bitte bitte bitte !
— pinballwizard_ (@pinball03148508) February 12, 2025
Please make it happen
— Alexander Schwabe (@AlexSchwabe) February 12, 2025
One thing is certain - the excitement in the German CS community hasn’t been this high in years! If this team comes together, it could not only relaunch Sprout but also establish a true second powerhouse in German Counter-Strike.
Could this be the start of a new golden era for German CS? Or at the very least, the first real step toward one?