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FaZe Clan has dropped a bombshell on the CS2 scene by signing Aleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev on loan from NAVI, just ahead of IEM Dallas and the BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025. The move not only bolsters FaZe’s flailing roster but sets the stage for the most anticipated rivalry in Counter-Strike: the GOAT showdown between s1mple and ZywOo.

While s1mple is widely hailed as the greatest player in CS:GO history—with 13 S-Tier titles, a Major win, and an era-defining presence—Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut is building an unshakable claim of his own in CS2. Fresh off another dominant showing and an MVP performance at IEM Melbourne, ZywOo has led Vitality to five straight tournament wins, a 25-match win streak, and the ESL Grand Slam Season 5 title—all in 2025.

As s1mple returns to top-tier play after a five-month absence, his mission isn’t just to rescue FaZe—it’s to remind the world that the GOAT title is still up for debate.

FaZe’s move comes after a rough start to the year, following Robin “ropz” Kool’s departure to Vitality. Despite Jonathan “EliGE” Jablonowski stepping up as a key fragger, the team lacked cohesion. Helvijs “broky” Saukants, the team's AWPer since 2019, was benched to make room for s1mple—now seen as FaZe’s last hope to reclaim relevance.

Captain Finn “karrigan” Andersen admitted this was a desperate play: “This is a Hail Mary for the Major. We don’t know what happens after, but we’re going all-in with s1mple. I know we can win.”

This isn't just a roster update—it's the resurrection of a legendary player and a direct challenge to ZywOo’s rising claim as the greatest of all time.

S1mple will debut for FaZe at IEM Dallas (May 19–25), with a clash against Vitality—and ZywOo—potentially looming at the BLAST.tv Austin Major (June 2–22).