Pros offer their take: Should we have a CS:GO World Cup? Ft. NiKo, Magisk and ropz
We have asked some of CS:GO's most prominent names about their opinion on whether there's room or need for a CS:GO World Cup.
Why do Counter-Strike not have a World Cup or another big tournament for national teams like we see in so many other sports and esports?
Something, the CS:GO expert and analyst Janko “YNK” Paunovic also brought up on Twitter yesterday explaining “why it would be cool to have a World/European championship”.
Right before the summer, we asked Nikola “NiKo” Kovac, Emil “Magisk” Reif and Robin “ropz” Kool about their opinion on a CS:GO World Cup where players could represent their own national team, and whether it's something they would do themselves.
I would love to take on a Danish national shirt and play for my country if there was something on the line like let’s say a World Cup, the Olympics or something like that, Magisk said.
NiKo continues:
I think it’s a cool idea and I think the organizers could work around it if they want to – I mean, we had it before where players were willing to do it because it’s a super cool feeling to play for your country. It would also be refreshing to play with some other players you maybe haven’t played with.
You can find longer quotes from Magisk, NiKo and ropz down below, where they also speak on what it will mean for them personally to wear their national colors at a CS:GO tournament.
Emil "Magisk" Reif:
"I think it really depends on the organizations. If it was possible with the contract stuff and also if there’s actually pride on the line like the Olympics, then I could see a world where we could have national teams in CS:GO and where organizations were willing to take out their players to let them fight for their country.
I would love to take on a Danish national shirt and play for my country if there was something on the line like let’s say a World Cup, the Olympics, or something like that.
But it would require a lot of change for that to happen."
Nikola "NiKo" Kovac:
"I think it would work, definitely. Right now, there are just too many events on the calendar and there’s not that much time to squeeze another event in – especially a World Cup, being a tournament, everyone wants to win.
I think it’s a cool idea and I think the organizers could work around it if they want to – I mean, we had it before where players were willing to do it because it’s a super cool feeling to play for your country. It would also be refreshing to play with some other players you maybe haven’t played with.
Everyone wants to represent their country. In my country, I hope esports and CS:GO will get bigger like in some countries where everyone watches it. In Denmark, everyone is watching CS, so if you could wear your national jersey would be a super cool feeling, also making everyone in your country proud."
Robin "ropz" Kool:
"It has to be something that all the organizations and teams will respect. If there are no clashes and everyone respects it, I think it would be a super cool thing to do and maybe even good for the Counter-Strike scene, as it could get more publicity in the general audience within sports.
Wearing your country's flag would be a proud thing for anyone. It’s a nice thing to represent your country and do something where you’re from. Once you succeed or do something great, it’s going to be amazing when you come back home and look back and say “you did that for your country”. So yeah, it would be a very cool thing do to."
We have seen it before
Tournaments with national teams are not an unknown factor in the Counter-Strike world with E-frag.net having organized two editions of “World Championships” in 2015 and 2016, which were won by France (Happy, NBK, apEX, shox and SmithZz) and Turkey (DESPE, XANTARES, Calyx, MAJ3R, and paz).
Since then, the CS: GO scene hasn’t seen a dedicated tournament of that kind.
