Few teams in Counter-Strike have managed to consistently hover on the precipice of greatness quite like BIG Clan. Following a largely disappointing 2024 campaign, the German organization ended the year on a high note, securing a respectable top 16 finish at the Shanghai Major. However, that late resurgence wasn’t enough to prevent major roster moves.
Florian "syrsoN" Rische and Rigon "rigoN" Gashi were both cut from the team. In their place, BIG brought back Marcel "hyped" Köhn for a second stint as the squad’s AWPer, while Can "kyuubii" Ali was recruited to fill the gaps left in the rifling core. Now, two months into 2025 and with three major events under their belt, we take a deeper look at where BIG stands, what’s separating them from the elite tier of Counter-Strike teams, and whether coach Alexander "kakafu" Szymanczyk can guide this roster back into the coveted HLTV Top 10.
Event Results: A Mixed Bag
BLAST Bounty: A Respectable Start
BIG’s first showing of the year came at BLAST Bounty, where they took care of business against SAW (2-0) before falling in a tightly contested 1-2 loss to G2 Esports. Losing to one of the world’s best teams while taking a map off them is no disgrace, but it provided an early sign of where BIG currently stands – dangerous, but not quite elite.
IEM Katowice: A Tournament of Missed Opportunities
At IEM Katowice, BIG found themselves in the Play-In stage and immediately stumbled, losing 0-2 to Wildcard in a shocking upset. They responded well by grinding through the lower bracket, defeating Imperial Valkyries and a struggling HEROIC, both with 2–0 sweeps.
However, once they reached the Main Event, heartbreak followed. Against FaZe Clan, they had every opportunity to win. After throwing away a lead on Ancient (their own pick), they managed to steal FaZe’s Mirage selection, only to fall in the decider. It was a loss that should have never happened, but the real frustration came in the elimination match versus 3DMAX.
Leading on Ancient and firing back at the French squad’s trash talk, BIG looked to be in control. At one point, Johannes "tabseN" Wodarz even shouted, “What up now? I cannot hear you anymore!” in response to 3DMAX’s antics. But that was the turning point—for all the wrong reasons. From that moment, BIG failed to win another round on Ancient and were utterly dismantled on Inferno, sending them home in disappointing fashion.
PGL Cluj-Napoca: A Glimpse at the Ceiling
Their most recent event, PGL Cluj-Napoca, provided a more well-rounded performance. BIG went 2-3 in the group stage, picking up wins against FlyQuest and Wildcard but falling to Eternal Fire, Astralis, and eventual champions MOUZ.
This result wasn’t a disaster by any means – losing to three Top 10 teams is understandable. However, if BIG truly wants to become a Top 10 team, they’ll need to start winning these kinds of matchups.
Player Performances: Who’s Stepping Up and Who’s Holding BIG Back?
Jon "JDC" de Castro: The Brightest Spot
For the second year in a row, JDC is leading the way statistically, posting a 1.14 HLTV rating. His consistency and impact have been crucial, and while he wasn’t expected to be the team’s star upon arrival, he’s quickly become its most reliable force.
Marcel "hyped" Köhn: A Worthy Return?
Coming back for his second stint as BIG’s AWPer, hyped has shown promise with a 1.08 rating. His inconsistency remains an issue, but his ceiling appears higher than syrsoN’s had been in his final months with the team. Given that he’s also five years younger, this move looks like a justified gamble.
Johannes "tabseN" Wodarz: The IGL's Burden
Still one of the best fragging in-game leaders in CS2, tabseN is off to a rather sluggish start, sitting at a 0.99 rating. While his leadership and firepower remain crucial, BIG needs more out of him if they want to break into the Top 10.
Can "kyuubii" Ali: Growing Pains
Taking over the tough roles once filled by rigoN, kyuubii has struggled early on, posting a 0.94 rating – even worse than his predecessor. His role often leaves him in unfavorable situations, but the bottom line is that he needs to improve. At just 20 years old, there's still time, but patience won't last forever.
Karim "Krimbo" Moussa: The Biggest Concern
Once BIG’s most dependable performer, Krimbo has seen a steep decline in his numbers, currently holding a 0.99 rating. This is a massive drop-off from his usual 1.10+ standard. Some of this is due to positional changes since JDC's arrival, but the reality is that Krimbo's struggles are the single biggest factor holding BIG back. He was supposed to be the star, the game-changer, yet right now, he’s underperforming in a way that’s actively hurting the team. If he doesn’t regain his previous form, BIG’s aspirations of Top 10 status will remain just that – aspirations.
The Map Pool: Dust 2 Is Not A German Staple Anymore
For years, BIG Clan had a clear identity in the map pool, centered around Dust 2, where they were one of the strongest teams in the world. In 2020, they played the map nearly 70 times with an impressive 65% win rate, making it their signature battleground. But times have changed. In 2025, Dust 2 is no longer BIG's fortress – in fact, it has become one of their weakest maps.
Through the first three months of the year, BIG has played Dust 2 only three times – and lost all three matches. This is a shocking shift for a team that once dominated the map with their tactical prowess and strong individual performances. Instead, their new identity revolves around Ancient, which they have played a whopping 15 times, making it by far their most played map. However, their 53% win rate suggests that while they feel comfortable picking it, it is not yet a reliable strength.
Another glaring issue in their map pool is Inferno. Opponents clearly see this as a weakness and consistently pick it against BIG. The results? A disastrous 12.5% win rate, with only one victory across eight attempts. If BIG wants to break into the top 10, they cannot afford to be a free win on one of the most commonly played maps in professional CS2.
Their Nuke record (4 wins in 7 matches, 57.1%) and Mirage record (3 wins in 6 matches, 50%) show that these maps are at least somewhat stable, but nothing exceptional. The real surprise, apart from their struggles on Dust 2, is that they haven't played Anubis at all this year and Train remains completely untouched since its return to the active duty map pool.
Right now, BIG's map pool is a liability. While Ancient is their go-to pick, their win rate isn't dominant enough to make it a true power map. Their Inferno struggles are a major concern, and their complete absence from Anubis and Train leaves them inflexible in vetoes.
The Road Ahead: How BIG Can Take the Next Step
With IEM Melbourne at the end of April as their next LAN event, BIG has enough time to regroup and fix their issues. More importantly, they must peak for the BLAST.tv Austin Major European qualifiers, which is their biggest goal for the first half of 2025.
So, what needs to change?
- Krimbo must regain his form. If he doesn’t, BIG will never reach the elite tier again.
- kyuubii has to develop into at least a serviceable role player. Right now, he’s a massive liability.
- Start winning against elite teams. Close losses aren’t enough anymore.
- Improve their Inferno play – either by making it a stronger map or by banning it more aggressively.
- Turn Ancient into a real power pick – 53% isn’t bad, but top teams need their best maps to be in the 60-70% win range.
- Reevaluate their Dust 2 – If it’s truly dead for them, they need to make sure their Mirage or Nuke is strong enough to compensate.
- Look to expand their map pool into Anubis or Train – Other teams are figuring out BIG’s limited pool. Having at least one more map in their arsenal will make them harder to prepare against.
The building blocks are there, but if BIG truly wants to break back into the Top 10, they need to stop being the "almost" team and start taking the scalps of the world’s best again. BIG used to be known for their strong map pool and tactical depth, but in 2025, this area has become one of their biggest weaknesses.
The next few months will determine if this roster is truly built for greatness or if another overhaul is on the horizon.