Prototypes of Top Footballers from EURO 2024 with Counter-Strike 2 Players. Part 2
Despite the fact that both football and Counter-Strike are team sports, the influence of individual players cannot be denied. Often, these individuals stand out significantly among their teammates and opponents on the football field or game server. We continue to compare the best players of EURO 2024 with top esports athletes in this material.
Kylian Mbappe Lottin / Nikola "NiKo" Kovač
- Kylian Mbappe Lottin – France (Real Madrid)
- Nikola “NiKo” Kovač – Bosnia and Herzegovina (G2)
Kylian Mbappe has long been regarded as the best player of his generation, showcasing an exceptional level of football mastery. He has no weak points: speed, dribbling, ambidextrous shooting, excellent field awareness, and a strong mentality. Clubs hunt for him every transfer window, with his salary and transfer fees reaching record heights. Mbappe has already become a World Champion in Russia in 2018, earned silver medals in 2022, and undoubtedly arrived at EURO 2024 as a favorite. For a player of his caliber, the only goal is to win every competition, and he is always ready to be the main driving force for his team on the path to trophies.
Bosnian player Nikola “NiKo” Kovač holds a similar status in the Counter-Strike community. Finding a more consistent, highly skilled, and experienced player on the market is nearly impossible. NiKo can do everything in the game, making him highly valued. He has been competing at the top level for a long time and continues to improve, even after brief slumps. For NiKo, what is considered a “slump” would be peak form for other players, which is why he is so highly regarded. Currently, a wealthy organization is offering him a significant amount of money, but such a player is now only focused on fighting for top trophies.
Interestingly, Mbappe moved to Real Madrid this summer for similar reasons. Due to a not-so-successful club career, he couldn’t compete for the main trophy, the Champions League, or the individual award, the Ballon d’Or. NiKo’s situation is quite similar; he has yet to conquer a Major or achieve the top spot in the HLTV rankings by the end of the year.
Jude Bellingham / Ilya "m0NESY" Osipov
- Jude Bellingham – England (Real Madrid)
- Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov – Russia (G2)
It’s amusing that we are once again comparing players from Real Madrid and G2. It seems we inadvertently identified the “Royal” club in the Counter-Strike world. The careers of Jude and Ilya are also quite similar, leading them not only to the best teams in the world but also making them incredibly important players. Jude Bellingham left his native England at a very young age to join the German club Borussia Dortmund. In his first season, he posted phenomenal stats for goals and assists, immediately catching Real Madrid’s attention. In Spain, he consistently starts and has become an indispensable player for England at EURO 2024. In April of this year, he received the “Breakthrough of the Year” award from the Laureus World Sports Awards, becoming the first footballer to receive it.
Ilya has a similar accolade, the Rookie of the Year (HLTV Award), given to a young player for impressive performances early in their career. The sniper for G2 consistently delivers incredible plays and is highly effective. Despite his young age, he is not afraid to take the initiative and take risks, which often pay off. These characteristics also describe Jude’s game. Bellingham and Osipov are only 20 and 19 years old, respectively, but they have already won several major titles that most professional players dream of but few achieve. We are confident that both have a bright future ahead, and we will be watching these young athletes for the next 10 years.
Robert Lewandowski / Jonathan "EliGE" Jablonowski
- Robert Lewandowski – Poland (Barcelona)
- Jonathan “EliGE” Jablonowski – USA (Complexity)
Now, we move on to older yet equally skilled and strong athletes. Another intriguing coincidence is the Polish roots of both players. Robert Lewandowski is a top-tier striker with a reputation as a true goal-scorer. If your team lacks goals or finishing, you need this Polish player. His career is quite successful and full of both individual and team achievements, but he often has to achieve things on his own. In a team sport, this statement might seem controversial, but those who understand will get it. Lewandowski has scored countless crucial goals, often saving his club through individual efforts.
EliGE finds himself in a similar situation with Complexity, and perhaps no other CS2 team depends more on the performance of a single player than the North American squad. Jonathan has won many trophies throughout his career, becoming better with time and wisely applying his experience in official matches. Many believe that the older version of EliGE is even more in his prime than in his youth. The same can be said about Lewandowski, though there are few players in football history who can boast the same.
Philip Foden / Robin "ropz" Kool
- Philip Foden – England (Manchester City)
- Robin “ropz” Kool – Estonia (FaZe Clan)
These are not the most flashy players on their teams, but their contributions to victories are very high. Phil Foden is nominally a midfielder but plays in various positions: from defensive midfield to winger. This versatility is a lifeline for any team. In the England squad, Foden doesn’t have specific positions on the field, as he can be useful anywhere. Players of this type are not expected to produce incredible highlights, though Foden certainly has them. He easily wins titles because his club career is with the most successful English club of the last 10 years.
In FaZe Clan, ropz performs a similar crucial role, and he does it impeccably. His transition to FaZe marked the beginning of their own era, even though the team already had top-class players. If you have a player like ropz in your team, you can focus on your own game without worrying about what’s happening around you. Robin will always cover for himself and his teammates.
Virgil van Dijk / Dzhami "Jame" Ali
- Virgil van Dijk – Netherlands (Liverpool)
- Dzhami “Jame” Ali – Russia (Virtus.pro)
Just as the Netherlands team cannot be imagined without Van Dijk, Virtus.pro cannot be envisioned without Jame. Both players are captains of their teams, and their influence often surpasses even that of their coaches. Van Dijk is the cement holding the Dutch national team and Liverpool together for years. The awards he has were earned through tremendous effort, reflecting the nature of team sports. You can’t do everything alone; even if you make zero mistakes in defense, your teammates can falter or underperform in attack.
These conclusions apply equally to the Virtus.pro captain, who doesn’t know how to approach his job with anything less than 100% effort. Jame has developed his style with minimal risk, advocating for cold-blooded and pragmatic gameplay. Sometimes, he might be out of form, but his game intelligence allows him to adapt to the situation and continue making an impact. Jame has one of the highest survival rates, and Van Dijk is considered an “impassable” defender, difficult to beat 1-on-1 as he reads attackers well and gets inside their heads.