Team SoloMid (TSM) is back in the Counter-Strike esports scene after a near six-year absence from the global stage. After years of speculation over the return of the brand’s commitment to the game, the organization has finally announced their new European roster.
The announcement marks TSM’s first foray back into the CS:GO scene since 2014, when Denmark’s legendary Lineup of Finn ‘karrigan’ Andersen, Michael ‘Friis’ Jørgensen, Peter ‘dupreeh’ Rasmussen, Nicolai ‘device’ Reedtz, and Andreas ‘Xyp9x’ Højsleth still represented them. At the time, the team established themselves as one of the best and most successful teams in the world.
This comeback comes on the heels of TSM expanding their esports presence over the past year. This past December saw the organization add a Brazilian CS:GO team to their portfolio. Although the European squad is the first for the brand in CS:GO, the team known for housing fan favourite teams in LoL and Fortnite has done well in other disciplines, such as Call of Duty and VALORANT.
The incoming squad is a star-studded lineup, featuring a mix of both international and Ukrainian talent. The leader of the team is a veteran of the scene, Andrey ‘B1ad3’ Gorodenskiy. Having moved into a coaching role over the course of the past few years, it’ll be interesting to see him captain this team.
The roster is rounded out by some of the best young Ukrainian players. Oleksii ‘s1mple’ Kostyliev, Denis ‘electronic’ Sharipov, Pavel ‘Perfecto’ Pryshchepa, and Kirill ‘Boombl4’ Mikhailov are all players of the highest quality and pedigree. The team is the joint best in Ukraine currently, and looks to battle for the best team in the world in the coming future.
The fans now have something real to cheer about after a long wait, and TSM is looking to help grow the Counter-Strike: GO scene worldwide with their return to the game. The organization has already established itself in many titles and now looks to do the same in CS: GO. This talented new roster surely has the potential to do just that. The question now is whether they can live up to the legacy of their predecessors.
