The professional Counter-Strike 2 scene is on the verge of a generational shift. Many aging players are nearing the end of their careers, while new, young talents are ready to take their places. Clubs should pay attention to academies, where future esports stars are growing. In this article, we will look at the 10 best CS2 players among academies in 2024.
The Best Academies in the World
Despite the closure of the WePlay Academy League, academies continue to thrive, with six of them ranked in the top 100 in the world by Valve. These teams have proven themselves in tournaments like the CCT, and their successes are impressive. For example, Monte Gen and NAVI Junior have shown excellent results, despite their rosters being formed relatively recently. MOUZ NXT has become a model for working with youth, turning their trainees into world-class stars.
Top 5 academies in Valve’s global ranking:
Academy | World Ranking |
Spirit Academy | #55 |
Monte Gen | #65 |
NAVI Junior | #69 |
MOUZ NXT | #71 |
Young Ninjas | #83 |
10 best CS2 players among academies
Drin "makazze" Shaqiri
A 17-year-old player from Kosovo, representing NAVI Junior, has already shown his skills. With a 6.8 rating over 47 maps, he became a champion at tournaments like XP Game Fest 2024 and European Pro League Season 20. His potential is enormous, and he will likely become an important part of the pro scene in the future.
Guilherme “levi” Gustavo
A 19-year-old player from Brazil, playing for Sharks Youngsters, shows excellent results with the AWP. With a 6.8 rating, he has become his team's leader and continues to develop rapidly.
Rokas "EspiranTo" Milasauskas
A 23-year-old player from Lithuania, one of the most controversial figures on this list. After unsuccessful attempts to establish himself on the tier-2 scene, he returned to esports with 9INE Academy. With a 6.1 rating, he became the best player on his team.
Peter “Pepo” Ružička
A 20-year-old Slovak esports player from SINNERS Academy has become a true star of his team. His 6.9 rating highlights his importance to the team and his bright future prospects.
Gytis "Ryu" Glušauskas
A Lithuanian player from Monte Gen. At 20 years old, Ryu has already had a chance to play in the club’s main lineup but was returned to the academy after a few months. With a 6.2 rating over 112 maps, he is on the verge of moving to the main roster of a club.
Jacob "jocab" Nerheden
A 19-year-old player from Sweden, representing Young Ninjas, shows consistent growth. With a 6.3 rating over 73 maps, he helped his team win the ESEA Season 48 and Prodigy Series #1.
Emil "kroK" Wiedemann
Emil, an esports player from Denmark, plays for Astralis Talent. His 6.2 rating makes him a key player in the academy and a hope for the future.
Gleb “gr1ks” Gazin
The main star of Aurora Young Blud, with a 6.6 rating over 139 maps. Thanks to gr1ks, the team reached a new level.
Oldřich "PR" Nový
A 17-year-old Czech player from MOUZ NXT. His rating over 203 maps stands at 6.2. In 2024, he won several tournaments, including United21 Season 10 and European Pro League Season 14.
Ahmet "2high" Baftijari
A 24-year-old IGL from North Macedonia, who has already outgrown ENCE Academy. Given that the professional scene is struggling with IGLs, he is likely to move to at least a tier-2 team soon. Moreover, 2high has a 6.2 rating over 52 maps, which is a good indicator for his role in the team.
The CS2 world is becoming increasingly competitive, and the future belongs to young academy talents. These players are already showing incredible skills and have every chance to become esports stars. Keep a close eye on them—they may soon become the new leaders of the global Counter-Strike 2 scene.
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