Spirit claimed their first-ever Major title by defeating FaZe 2-1 in the grand final of the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024. This historic victory made Spirit the 15th organization in Counter-Strike history to win a Major. For FaZe, it marked their third Major final loss and the second this year after falling short at the PGL Major Copenhagen 2024.
The Grand Final Battle
Map 1: Nuke – Spirit (13-8)
The grand final kicked off on Nuke, where Spirit took an early lead thanks to donk’s stunning 3k with a Desert Eagle during a full eco round. FaZe fought back through clutch plays by rain and broky, who helped their team claw back from an 8-4 deficit to trail only by one round at halftime.
Despite FaZe’s heroic efforts, including a crucial 1v2 clutch by broky and multi-kills from ropz, Spirit’s resilience proved too strong. With donk securing vital frags and chopper stepping up with a decisive 1v1 clutch, Spirit claimed victory, ending Nuke 13-8.
Map 2: Ancient – FaZe (13-6)
Ancient saw FaZe unleashing their full potential, with ropz leading the charge by securing six frags within the first three rounds. Although Spirit responded with a force-buy win, FaZe maintained control throughout the half.
A tense moment came when donk pulled off a miraculous ace in Round 4, but FaZe’s consistent teamwork neutralized Spirit’s attempts at a comeback. Key moments included clutch kills by broky and frozen, as well as smart tactical plays from karrigan. Despite magixx’s impressive 1v1 win in the pistol round, FaZe dominated the second half and comfortably closed out the map 13-6.
Map 3: Dust2 – Spirit (13-11)
The decider map, Dust2, was a rollercoaster of emotions. donk set the pace early with three consecutive 3k rounds, leaving FaZe on the backfoot. His relentless aggression saw Spirit storm to an 8-4 lead at halftime, with magixx delivering pivotal multi-kills that kept FaZe from mounting a serious counterattack.
FaZe’s comeback started in the second half, fueled by double AWP setups and clutch moments from ropz and broky. They brought the score to a nail-biting 12-11 after an incredible 2v4 retake on the B site.
The final round was a heart-stopper: Spirit executed a perfect 3v3 post-plant setup, leaving the final clutch to sh1ro. With calm precision, sh1ro secured the 1v2 clutch, earning Spirit their first Major title and leaving FaZe one round short of ultimate victory.
Expert Insight: Kane's Take
We reached out to Major-winning coach Mykhailo "Kane" Blagin for his expert take on the grand final. According to him, FaZe played well but couldn’t control donk on the first map — a challenge many teams faced throughout the tournament. They had opportunities on Nuke but failed to capitalize. On Dust2, FaZe’s slow start and Spirit’s flawless execution proved decisive. Kane believes this victory symbolizes the end of FaZe’s era and the rise of younger teams like Spirit, who peaked at the perfect time.
My opinion is that FaZe was pretty good, but just failed to control donk on the first map. I can say that a lot of people can't do that, so it's hard for me to even blame them for that. They really could have won Nuke though. On Dust2 they just didn't get in the first half of the game. They didn't. Because there's always an opponent who makes their own good ideas too. But first and foremost I think this win is a symbol that the FaZe era is going away. And we enter a new era of younger teams, such as Spirit. And if you look at the composition of FaZe, with all the love, of course, karrigan, an absolutely legendary person, and that's why it was doubly desirable that he should win, he is also a person for whom there is just boundless respect. But these are all stars that are beginning to fade. And that's why the young Spirit, who this season burned brightly at the very beginning, they still saved a little more energy for the end of the season. My opinion is this.
New Champions Crowned
Team Spirit’s lineup of chopper, magixx, donk, sh1ro, and zont1x achieved what many thought was impossible. They secured the organization’s first Major win, earning $500,000 in prize money and a place in CS2 history.
- chopper, magixx, donk, and sh1ro joined a group of eight Russian Major winners, including Dosia, electroNic, Boombl4, Perfecto, Jame, FL1T, n0rb3r7, and fame.
- zont1x became the fifth Ukrainian player to win a Major, following in the footsteps of b1t, Zeus, s1mple, and w0nderful.
- hally became the first Russian coach ever to lift a Major trophy, adding another milestone to the historic win.
Playoff Surprises and Disappointments
Despite their high hopes, G2 failed to reach the final, leaving star player NiKo still chasing his first Major win. With roster changes rumored, this might have been the last Major for several players on the G2 roster.
On the other hand, teams like The MongolZ and Liquid surprised everyone by making it to the playoffs. Though both were eliminated in the quarterfinals, their run was considered a huge overachievement given their lower-tier status entering the event.
What’s Next for the Players
The Major victory was life-changing for Spirit's players: donk became the youngest Major MVP ever, with a stellar 7.3 rating throughout the tournament; sh1ro's decision to leave Cloud9 for Spirit now looks like a masterstroke, as Spirit won more titles in 2024 than Cloud9 did in two years; chopper solidified his legacy as one of the best Russian in-game leaders ever.
For FaZe, the loss raises questions about the future. Will the organization stick with its current lineup or rebuild after coming so close to the title? Four of their players have already won a Major and could be in line for a second if the team stays together. For coach NEO, winning a Major would have cemented his place in history as both a Major-winning player and coach.
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