Counter-Strike is a franchise with a lot of history. Whilst the grind for current and upcoming stars of the game continues every day, sometimes it’s important to step back a little and take a look at some of the titans of the game. Whether past or present, some names simply echo through the halls of Counter-Strike history. In this long and storied corner of the world, few players have reached the truly legendary status of Olof “olofmeister” Kajbjer Gustafsson. 

A Swedish legend, Olofmeister’s name has become synonymous with raw skill, flair, and resilience. His career is a storied one, dotted with important victories, major trophies, and historic moments. In short, Olofmeister is truly one of the most iconic players in the game’s history. Today, we will take a deep dive into his journey, from a soccer-playing young man to a Major winning rifler, and more.

Early Life & Counter-Strike Beginnings

Born in 1992 in Tyresö, Sweden, Olof always had a competitive side. He was a big fan of soccer, starting out at the age of four, and playing avidly until, at the age of fifteen, he injured his knee. After a visit to a specialist, in which Olof was told he could not play football for a year, he “went home and played Counter-Strike on that evening” to distract himself from the disappointment of missing out on his favourite sport. Whilst the world of soccer missed out on our Swedish legend’s presence, the world of CS most certainly did not.

Olofmeister’s career began to ramp up after he transitioned to CS:GO, the game in which he would end up forging such a successful career. Initially joining a couple of slightly lesser-known teams, such as H2k and Absolute Legends, it wasn’t until he joined LGB Esports in 2013 that the world began to really start taking notice of the Swedish prodigy.

While playing for LGB Esports alongside dennis, KRIMZ, twist, and cype, Olofmeister competed in his first big tournaments. His performances were solid, but the team lacked consistency on the global stage. However, these early years allowed Olof to sharpen his skills and build a reputation as a talented and adaptable player. Further to this, LGB beat Fnatic in the Quarterfinal of EMS One Katowice 2014; a match in which Olofmeister dropped 68 frags and a 1.12 HLTV Rating. Olofmeister has credited this match as the first time he seriously appeared on Fnatic’s radar.

The Fnatic Era

Olofmeister’s career took a monumental leap forward in 2014, when he joined Fnatic, one of the most prestigious organizations in the esports world. Fnatic was already a well-established roster in CS:GO, but Olof’s arrival marked the beginning of an unprecedented era of dominance for the team. Alongside other CS:GO superstars like JW, flusha, pronax, and his old LGB teammate KRIMZ, Olofmeister helped Fnatic become an unstoppable force in the scene.

The period of 2014 to 2015 is often referred to as the golden age of Fnatic’s dominance in CS:GO, and Olofmeister was right at the heart of it. During this time, Fnatic won several important trophies, including two Major Championships – ESL One: Katowice 2015 and ESL One: Cologne 2015. These deep runs and victories cemented Fnatic’s legacy as one of the greatest roster cores of all time, and resulted in Olofmeister frequently being given plaudits as the best player in the world. As Olof himself said: “I’m not the best Counter-Strike player in the world. But there’s nobody better.”

Olofmeister’s individual brilliance was astonishing; his versatile ability to excel as a rifler, sniper, or lurker was second to none, and he was simply just more naturally gifted in Counter-Strike than many around him at the time. However, for such a universally respected and admired CS player, Olof was still subject to a controversy borne out of a moment which has gone down in Counter-Strike history. 

The “Boostmeister” Controversy

During the final map of the DreamHack Winter 2014 quarterfinals against Team LDLC, Olof boosted up onto an unknown spot on Overpass – an act that would go down in CS:GO history as the ‘Olofboost.’ This boost, as many of you will know, resulted in a dominant map for Fnatic, with LDLC unable to react in time to whatever “cruel and unusual punishment”, as veteran caster Anders Blume called it at the time, was being used against them by Olof and his team.

Unfortunately, the boost proved to be an illegal one, ultimately resulting in a scheduled rematch which Fnatic chose to forfeit. There was significant backlash from fellow pro players and the wider scene, for what was perceived as Fnatic grasping at an unfair advantage to turn over a 3-13 deficit.

However, the Olofboost didn’t leave much of a stain on the reputation of our Swedish hero. In 2015, Olofmeister was ranked as the Number One player in the world by HLTV, further solidifying his already legendary status as one of the greatest of all time.

The FaZe Clan Era

In 2017, Olofmeister made a high-profile move to FaZe Clan, an international powerhouse. Joining FaZe represented a fresh start, and Olof was now part of a star-studded lineup that included NiKo, karrigan, rain, and Guardian. FaZe Clan quickly became one of the top teams in CS:GO, known for their firepower, dynamic midrounds, and aggressive playstyle. Olofmeister’s adaptability allowed him to fit perfectly into FaZe’s system, where he played a more supportive role compared to his time in Fnatic. Despite this, he remained a clutch player, delivering crucial rounds when FaZe needed them most.

FaZe enjoyed success, winning several high-profile tournaments, but a Major Championship eluded them. The closest they came was in the ELEAGUE Major: Boston 2018, where they reached the grand finals against the fairytale run of Cloud9. In a historic and heartbreaking match, FaZe lost 2-1 in overtime on the final map, Inferno, with Cloud9 pulling off an incredible comeback to win NA’s first Major. To this day, the Boston 2018 final remains one of the most iconic in Counter-Strike history and an enduringly painful moment in Olofmeister’s career.

Olofmeister’s Legacy

Olofmeister’s career is one of the most decorated in CS:GO history. With Major Championships, numerous tournament victories, and many individual accolades, the Swedish legend has undoubtedly left his mark on the game. His burning defuse on Overpass remains one of the greatest plays in the history of the game, immortalised on the map and in the hearts and minds of CS fans forever (as is his little celebratory dance afterwards).

Even as new stars shine bright in Counter-Strike 2, Olofmeister’s legacy endures. His ability to adapt to changing roles, his contributions to two of the biggest and most storied organizations in the game, and his countless memorable moments have cemented him as one of the all-time greats. In (almost) the words of Zeus – Olofmeister, we love you!

So, that’s our quick rundown of the career of Olofmeister – one of the greatest to ever touch the game we all know and love. Next time, we’ll take a dive into the career of a man so skilled Valve had to nerf the AWP…