*Note: This list is entirely the subjective opinion of the author and is not in any specific order.
Fnatic vs EnVyUS (Grand Final ESL One Cologne 2015)
Featuring two famous names with a lot of history at that time, the match took place at the Lanxess Arena – known as the “cathedral” of CS:GO. Fnatic and EnVyUS delivered a real feast to viewers with incredible plays from superstars on both sides.
This was a dream showdown as both sides had some of the best players in the world at that time: Fnatic had a very confident JW and a peak performance from Olofmeister (this was also the year Olof was named the best player in the world); EnVyUS was a cohesive and balanced team with kennyS capable of exploding at any moment. This was definitely a top-tier grand final that every CS:GO fan couldn’t miss.
You can watch this match again HERE.
Astralis vs Virtus.pro (Grand Final ELEAGUE Major Atlanta)
As the 10th Major in history and the second Major held on American soil, the grand final of ELEAGUE Major Atlanta featured two names with a long history: Virtus.pro and Astralis (the former core of TSM and Dignitas). In this Major, Astralis was considered one of the championship candidates as they had reached the top 4 in the last 3 tournaments, making it to the grand final twice and winning ECS Season 2 just before the Major. Strong as they were, Astralis’s core had a fatal weakness: frequently collapsing at crucial moments. Meanwhile, Virtus.pro was known for being a resilient and unwavering team, no matter who the opponent was.
This final brought the audience the full range of emotions from a CS match at the highest level. After three nail-biting maps, Astralis emerged victorious with two maps winning 16-14, lifting the prestigious Major trophy for the first time. The young talent Kjaerbye, only 18 years old, was later named the MVP of the tournament, but just a year later, he surprisingly left the team for North, leading Astralis to bring in Magisk, and the rest is history.
You can watch this match again HERE.
Liquid vs Luminosity (Semifinal MLG Columbus 2016)
This is a very vivid example of the “Liquid Choke” meme. Leading twice with significant scores (15-9 in map 1 and 15-6 in map 2), Liquid failed to close out the match both times and was successfully comebacked by Luminosity. In total, Liquid had up to 15 match points, but all were denied by the brave fighting spirit and the cool heads of the Brazilians.
Another highlight of this match was Coldzera’s no-scope jump shot in round 25, paving the way for an incredible comeback by the Brazilians. After this victory, Luminosity marched straight into the grand final against a Na`vi team not at their best (GuardiaN was injured and had to play with a mouse sensitivity four times higher than normal), where Luminosity easily won, ushering in a new era of dominance for the Brazilians.
You can watch this match again HERE.
Cloud9 vs FaZe Clan (Grand Final ELEAGUE Major: Boston 2018)
This was definitely the most emotional Major final of all time, marking the journey to the first – and so far only – Major title for Americans. In the New Challengers stage, Cloud9 easily passed with three straight wins, but in the New Legends stage, they faced a cold shower when they lost consecutively to G2 Esports and Space Soldiers. Facing elimination, Autimatic and his teammates staged a spectacular comeback with three wins against tough opponents like VP, Astralis, and finally Vega to secure a playoff spot.
Playing in front of their home crowd and receiving roaring support, Cloud9 successively defeated G2 Esports in a rematch and then SK Gaming to advance to the grand final against FaZe Clan – a team also in top form at this tournament. The grand final was a thrilling three-map showdown, and in the legendary Inferno map, Stewie2k pushed the match into fateful overtime with a highlight play at bombsite B. In the end, Cloud9 triumphed, winning the championship before nearly 8,000 live spectators and over 1.1 million viewers worldwide.
You can watch this match again HERE.