Team Liquid become first ever #1 ranked CS:GO team from NA, community reacts

The Counter-Strike: Global Offensive community are reacting to the news that Team Liquid are set to become the first North American team to take the number one spot in the game’s world rankings.

Team Liquid secured victory in the grand final of the DreamHack Masters Dallas event on Sunday, May 2, taking home the $100,000 grand prize – but not the trophy as it had been lost by UPS!

Their 2-1 victory over ENCE also seems set to propel the Americans to the top of the CS:GO World Rankings, leapfrogging juggernauts Astralis to take their place at the pinnacle of the list.

With Astralis’ 406 day reign at the top of the rankings looking like it is now finished, the community have been reacting to the huge news – including some who believe that Team Liquid’s jump up shouldn’t be happening.

Team Liquid reach the top

Unsurprisingly, Team Liquid fans were ecstatic with the news that their team no sits atop the world rankings, with comments of celebration pouring out across the internet, including on Reddit where a number happy supporters simply posted: “WE’RE NUMBER ONE! WE’RE NUMBER ONE!”

Others celebrated the magnitude of their accomplishment, with ESL Lead CS:GO Producer @DGN_csgo tweeting their success was “earned and deserved after a long streak just below the top.”

Duncan ‘Thorin’ Shields also passed on his congratulations to the team as they became the first ever North American squad to top the rankings, calling the moment a “special achievement.”

The end of the Astralis era?

While many celebrated the new kings of the CS:GO castle, others discussed the end of perhaps the most dominant run in CS:GO history, as Danish powerhouses Astralis finally lost their stranglehold on the world rankings after 406 days.

The North Americans may be on top for now, but the consensus seems to be that it won’t last, and may only serve to fuel Astralis’ hunger as they try to snatch back pole position.

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One Reddit user commented: “Astralis ended [their first] era so they can be the only team with [two] eras,” joking that Astralis will quickly return to dominance once again, while another imagined the conversation taking place inside of Astralis HQ.

Some are overjoyed with the news though, with one fan creating a special “Astralis era is over” video using the ever-popular crab meme.

Should Team Liquid top the rankings?

While the CS:GO World Rankings are based on numerical values and fact, a large number of fans believe that while Team Liquid may be the leaders now, they are still not the best team in the world.

There is an argument that Astralis’ decision to compete in BLAST Pro Series tournaments, which feature significantly less matches for similar prize pool, has cost them their spot at the top, and not Team Liquid’s improved performances.

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This can be seen when comparing the amount of matches the two teams have played since the Danes lifted the IEM Katowice Major back in March. Since then, Liquid have played 15 matches that we are least best-of-three maps, while Astralis have played just five, a statistic that doesn’t sit well with some fans.

This has caused many to claim Astralis cost themselves the top spot, with one commenter on Reddit writing: “Liquid didn’t end Astralis’ era, Astralis ended that themselves.”

Thorin compared the finale of the Astralis era to the conclusion of another epic saga, HBO’s blockbuster television spectacle Game of Thrones, which left many fans with a sour taste in their mouth when the final episode aired back in May. 

The Esports Historian wrote: “The Astralis era had a less satisfying ending than Game of Thrones [Season 8].”

While the Americans find themselves at the top of the tree now, their reign could be short lived, especially if Astralis can secure victory at the Esports Championship Series Season 7 Finals.

The tournament kicks off in London, England on June 6, and with Team Liquid not in attendance, their spell as the number one CS:GO team in the world could last just over a week, before Gla1ve and the powerhouse Danes steal their spot back.