s1mple at the ESL One Cologne 2016: The History of Cache's Graffiti

S1mple Cache Graffiti
s1mple's graffiti on Cache. (Image credit: HLTV and u/EagleStormCS via reddit)

If a CS:GO pro gets his own graffiti on one of the maps, he's clearly done something extraordinary. Only few players received this special honor and one of them is s1mple, who achieved immortality at the ESL One Cologne 2016.

It is July 9, 2016, and the Lanxess Arena in Cologne is filled to the brim. Nearly 14.000 spectators watch a nerve-racking semi-final at the ESL One Cologne 2016 between Team Liquid and Fnatic. Great conditions for a memorable evening. But nobody could have guessed just how memorable the match would turn out to be. All thanks to a Team Liquid professional, who is different from everybody else on the server: Aleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev.

The scene:

Team Liquid win the first map, Cobblestone, 16-13. Already, s1mple is the best player on his team. On Cache the 18-year-old grows beyond himself: In an exciting game, Team Liquid has the upper hand at first until Fnatic can get a good starting position to win their fifth round. In a 2-on-1 situation Fnatic seems to have the advantage...

All Good Things Come From Above

While having the numbers, Fnatic tries to take the B-spot quickly via the shaft corridor. Armed with an AWP, s1mple is on Heaven. While other players would probably wait for the push, he throws all caution into the wind: He jumps down from his position, kills the player standing under him while in mid-flight and then kills the second player at a distance of almost 10 meters.

"s1mple are you serious? This is not allowed! This is not an FPL, this is a major tournament" - caster James Bardolph, absolutely and utterly shocked.

But not only the casters can hardly believe it. s1mple's team members shake their heads in disbelief and clap for their teammate. But the extent of the clutch is not yet known: Only in the replay do casters and viewers see that both shots were no-scopes. Once again, the hall goes nuts and James Bardolph can hardly find words to describe it.

Cache pic 2 jpg 1
The graffiti on Cache

s1mple's clutch flooded the forums in no time. Priorly mainly known as a hothead, it was this moment in s1mple's career that cemented him as a CS:GO god. Valve added the graffiti on Cache a little later and made it one of 7 to honor unforgettable Counter Strike moments.

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Amidu Njiemoun

Amidu is a Brunel University graduate, and former published novel & screenplay writer turned gaming journalist and show host. He was a Senior Content Creator and Content Co-Lead at EarlyGame....