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FaZe NEO looking over his players at IEM Katowice 2024.
Photo by Helena Kristiansson via ESL FACEIT Group

FaZe coach NEO reveals the toughest Counter-Strike player he ever faced, and it isn’t donk

It isn't a surprising pick.

FaZe Clan suffered a devastating defeat at the hands of Team Spirit last weekend at the IEM Katowice 2024 grand final, which forbid NEO from raising the trophy on his home turf. Spirit were led by new CS2 superstar donk, but the Pole claims donk isn’t the toughest player he faced.

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After the final, NEO shaved his head, which prompted fans to joke about how donk’s performance made the legendary player go bald. FaZe’s coach replied to one of these takes, claiming the only player he ever faced that made him feel this way was f0rest.

“Donk? No… with all the respect towards every player, f0rest was the only one I faced who made feel me bald after the games,” NEO wrote on X on Jan. 14. This is a Polish way of saying NEO felt humbled by f0rest.

F0rest was one of the least impactful CS:GO players of IEM Dallas
F0rest is one of the greatest CS legends. Photo by Helena Kristiansson via ESL Gaming

With both NEO and f0rest being Counter-Strike 1.6 and CS:GO legends, it’s hardly surprising to see the Pole speak so highly about the Swede. They clashed hundreds of times in the past, first in CS 1.6 and then in CS:GO after it launched in 2012.

On the other hand, it’s understandable how people are praising donk for his recent performance, especially at IEM Katowice 2024. Despite being only 17 years old, the Russian player achieved a record 1.70 rating in Poland, matching NiKo’s record from 2016. In the grand final against FaZe alone, he recorded 82 kills and only 40 deaths, which translates to a 1.93 rating and 124 ADR. He was, of course, named the MVP of IEM Katowice 2024.

Luckily for FaZe and their fans, the team didn’t take much time to pick themselves up. At the time of writing, they’re 2-0 in the European RMR A for the PGL Copenhagen CS2 Major, just one win away from securing their place at the Danish tournament.


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Author
Image of Mateusz Miter
Mateusz Miter
Staff Writer
Freelance Writer at Dot Esports. Mateusz previously worked for numerous outlets and gaming-adjacent companies, including ESL. League of Legends or CS:GO? He loves them both. In fact, he wonders which game he loves more every day. He wanted to go pro years ago, but somewhere along the way decided journalism was the more sensible option—and he was right.