CS.MONEY Blog

Oldest and Youngest Players at IEM Cologne 2026 Major

esports · Thu, 04 Jun 2026 05:51:36 +0000

Oldest and Youngest Players at IEM Cologne 2026 Major

An esports career is short: five to seven years and that is it, time to retire. You hear this a lot, but it is a total myth. The CS.MONEY Blog dug into the player lists for this IEM Cologne 2026 Major, finding the oldest and youngest pros to prove that age in esports is just a number.

Join our own Pick’ems by CS.MONEY! Pick winners, complete daily tasks, loot points, and climb to the top of the leaderboard! Three pick’em stages = three tops = three chances to win prizes

Top 5 Oldest Players at IEM Cologne 2026

There are about a dozen players in the 30+ category, which is enough to make two really solid rosters. If you put these players together, a top 30 spot in the VRS rankings would be practically guaranteed. But today, we are putting together just one ultimate veteran lineup, and here is who made the cut.

Finn “karrigan” Andersen

Finn Andersen is once again the oldest player at the Major. Knowing the Danish veteran, it probably won’t be the last time either. During a career that has lasted nearly two decades, he has played almost every role imaginable, reached multiple Major finals, won one, and established himself as one of the greatest leaders in Counter-Strike history.

Engin “MAJ3R” Küpeli

MAJ3R, the leader of Aurora Gaming, takes the second spot. His career is a massive contrast to karrigans. While the Dane was always shining in the finals of the biggest tournaments, the Turkish captain rarely made it there. However, this is his sixth Major, making it the perfect chance to turn all that experience into a decent result.

Gabriel Toledo de Alcântara Sguario, better known as FalleN

Another legendary captain and multiple-time Major champion. Among IGLs, FalleN stands out thanks to his individual performances. Gabriel has made the HLTV Top 20 Players of the Year list twice. Unlike the two veterans above him, however, he has openly discussed retiring in the near future. This could be one of the last major tournaments of his career.

Fernando “fer” Alvarenga

FalleN and fer

Here’s a small surprise: fer is the only player among the five oldest competitors who is not an IGL. At Gaimin Gladiators, he plays as an entry fragger. Considering he qualified for IEM Cologne 2026 at his age, it’s safe to say he’s still doing that job very well.

Dan “apEX” Madesclaire

You could start and finish the story of Dan Madesclaire just by listing his achievements. First, he is the oldest Major winner ever. Second, he has played in 21 Valve tournaments. Third, he is a five-time Major finalist. Last but not least, apEX is incredibly expressive and emotional, making him a total camera magnet with his wild facial expressions and gestures. Honestly, he could be considered the greatest captain of all time, especially if he wins this tournament too.

Top 5 Youngest Players at IEM Cologne 2026 Major

Danylo “s1zzi” Vinnyk

The youngest player at IEM Cologne 2026. He started his career with Team Spirit Academy Black, quickly joined B8, and now finds himself competing at a Major. Even donk was older when he played his first Valve event. That’s an achievement worth being proud of.

Džiugas “dziugss” Steponavičius

A former NAVI Junior player, dziugss has spent less than a year with FUT Esports. During that time, he helped the team win PGL Bucharest 2026 and secure a top-four finish at ESL Pro League Season 23. His personal performances have been just as impressive, posting a strong 1.11 rating in 2026.

Adrian “xelex” Vincze

Vincze joined the main MOUZ roster quite recently, just a month and a half ago. He has only played two tournaments with them so far, taking bronze both times. Before that, he stood in at Intel Extreme Masters Katowice 2025, which did not go well. For the young Hungarian, this is already the fourth massive tournament of his career.

Maksim “Kyousuke” Lukin

Just a few seasons ago, Maksim Lukin was usually the youngest player at nearly every tournament. Even today, he still ranks fourth on this list. The rising Falcons star is considered one of the most promising riflers and entry fraggers in the scene. This is only the second Valve event of his career and a great opportunity to win his first Major trophy.

Dmytro “dem0n” Myroshnychenko

Closing out the list is Dmytro “dem0n” Myroshnychenko. Another FUT Esports player among the youngest competitors, he joined the team as part of a large transfer move from NAVI Junior. This is the first Major for both him and his current lineup, and they begin directly in Stage 2. That’s a clear sign of how successful the team has been this season.

Oldest Team — Gaimin Gladiators

Gaimin Gladiators enter the tournament as the oldest team, with an average age slightly above 30. Considering that one of the event’s oldest players is part of the lineup, that title comes as no surprise. Almost every member of the roster is either close to 30 or already in their thirties.

Youngest Team — FUT Esports

FUT Esports have the youngest starting lineup at the tournament. The team made incredible progress throughout the year, first breaking into the world’s top 30 and later reaching the top 10. They currently sit 12th in the VRS rankings, an impressive achievement for a roster whose average age is still below 20.

Interestingly, a true battle of generations is possible under the right circumstances. The tournament’s oldest and youngest teams could face each other later in the Major. However, that matchup would only be possible during Stage 2, and Gaimin Gladiators still need to make it there first.

Three weeks of amazing Counter-Strike are ahead of us. And watching the tournament while competing for valuable skins makes the experience even better! Join our Pick’Em event, and win awesome skins for the most popular weapons, as well as premium knives and gloves. We’re giving away skins worth a total of $20,000! Don’t miss your chance to upgrade your inventory!

Сообщение Oldest and Youngest Players at IEM Cologne 2026 Major появились сначала на CS.MONEY Blog.