Legacy wasn’t even supposed to participate in the BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025. They got their chance only because of visa issues with the Bestia and were able to participate in Austin at the very last moment. But instead of just “touring through the event,” Legacy seized the opportunity and advanced from the Challengers Stage with a 3–2 record, impressing many. Their run continued in Stage 2 with victories over MIBR and 3DMAX. Today, we dive into the mystery of Team Legacy with Luis “peacemaker” Tadeu to get a closer look into their surprising run at the Major.
The first step is always lucky
When Bestia was forced to withdraw from the Major due to visa problems, the organizers gave the slot to Legacy — a team that had already been eliminated during the RMR. This decision sparked heated debates in the community: some saw it as fair, others called it an undeserved gift.
However, Legacy managed to turn that pressure into motivation, as Peacemaker highlighted:
“I think it was a very tough few weeks for Legacy. With all the drama surrounding whether they’d go to the Major or not, and the community’s reaction — some people were really harsh, blaming them like it was their fault Bestia got disqualified. I believe it became extra motivation for them to prove they actually deserve to be here.”
Too stubborn to lose?
Surely when faced with sceptisicsm from the entire CS2 community, Legacy decided to grind as hard as they can – something that Peacemaker notices is a trait in South American teams:
I think that gave them motivation to prove to everybody that they actually deserve to be there. I’ve seen this before with Brazilian teams, you know, it’s like when they dare us to perform, when they doubt us, then we go and we work even harder and we try to prove a point.
The team’s breakthrough wouldn’t have been possible without strong individual performances. In the first stage, Legacy players showed solid personal form:
- n1ssim — 1.20
- dumau — 1.19
- latto — 1.05
- saadzin — 1.01
- lux — 0.90
Commenting on player performances, Peacemaker pointed out those who truly carried the team, and reflected on their rough start and the doubts after Day 1:
“I especially want to mention dumau and latto. They were supposed to be the leaders in terms of stats — and they were. As for the results, I didn’t like their first match against Lynn Vision — horrible veto, playing Dust2 against one of the best teams on that map. I thought: ‘That’s it, 0–3 coming.’ But then they bounced back, beat Chinggis Warriors the same day — it gave them a bit of relief and belief. Then, of course, BetBoom smashed them (13–3), but that was expected.”
Map Pool Strengths and Weaknesses
Despite the overall positive result, Legacy’s performance in the first stage also exposed some weaknesses — especially regarding their map pool. The team played on five different maps, but not all of them led to wins. Poor veto decisions or lack of prep proved costly in several cases.
Map results:
- Dust2 — two losses (7:13 vs Lynn Vision, 5:13 vs Imperial)
- Anubis — heavy loss to BetBoom (3:13)
- Nuke, Inferno, Mirage — winning maps that Legacy clearly play best
So far, the Brazilian squad has been having a great time against their opponents, but their game style is not without issues. Peacemaker points them out quite easily:
“Legacy may have advanced — but their issues are visible. When things go to plan, they dominate. But when something goes wrong, they crumble. Take their Dust2 match against Imperial — no ideas, just defaults, and a clear loss. Same with Lynn Vision and BetBoom.
Also, about the map pool — while they looked prepped, they didn’t show their weaker maps against Wildcard or Imperial. So it’s still unclear what happens when they’re pressured again.”
Peacemaker emphasized Legacy’s instability in tough situations and the shortcomings in their map pool. He noted the team plays well when everything goes according to plan, but tends to lose composure under pressure or on uncomfortable maps. Most importantly, so far opponents haven’t played anything uncomfortable against Legacy. Even in Stage two matches, we have already seen Nuke and Inferno – maps Legacy proved to know quite well how to play.
Check the maps from above – see the trend?
What Helped Them Advance — and What Lies Ahead?
Legacy managed to advance from the Challengers Stage thanks to several key factors:
- Motivation to prove the doubters wrong
- Strong performances from dumau and n1ssim, who stepped up as leaders
- Good preparation on their best maps, particularly Mirage, Inferno, and Nuke
- Underestimating factor – opponents tended to pick up their strong maps and not Legacy’s weak ones
- Ability to adapt after setbacks, especially after the Dust2 loss in their opening match
However, in the next stage of the tournament, Legacy will face much stronger opponents, such as FaZe, Falcons, and FURIA. The team will need to tighten up their discipline, avoid disastrous maps like Dust2, and show more consistency under pressure.
If Legacy can maintain its momentum and improve its map pool, its underdog story might go on. But if not, even a strong start won’t save them from the harsh reality of the next stage.
Perfect Start to Stage 2 and latto’s Stellar Form
In the second stage of the tournament, Legacy have shocked everyone once again — the team now holds a 2–0 record and is just one win away from advancing to the next phase of the Major. Following an impressive performance in the Challengers Stage that caught many experts off guard, the Brazilian squad has kept up the momentum and continues to surprise.
In their opening match, they defeated MIBR on Nuke with a 13:10 scoreline. Then they confidently outplayed 3DMAX on Inferno, winning 13:7 while maintaining full control of the game. Both victories were the result of coordinated team play, aggressive defense, and precise decision-making in key moments.
So the question is: did we, as CS2 fans, miss the gem of Legacy in all the talks around Bestia? Peacemaker shares such sentiment:
I do understand why everybody thought they would be 0:3 and then didn’t give them that much credit because they barely play the big tournaments. They play a lot online in the local matches, and they’re living in NA right now. Their matches are not impressive, even though they face the likes of BLUE JAYS, Wild Card, the teams that usually stay in NA, and do pretty well. They reach the grand finals of the qualifiers. Sometimes they lose, sometimes they win, but for example, before this tournament, they had beaten Wild Card online 2:0 pretty comfortably, and then yesterday it happened again. I think that the people just have a hard time believing in teams, and I don’t criticize them.
The undisputed star of these games has been latto, who is having one of the best tournaments of his career. His 1.47 rating across the two matches confirms that he is the driving force behind Legacy’s success in this stage. His consistency, ability to win crucial duels, and calmness in clutch situations have been vital to their wins.
Now, Legacy is just one match away from advancing with a flawless 3–0 record. However, a tough bo3 series awaits — one that will demand even greater focus, discipline, and composure. The team must now prove that their rise is no fluke, but the result of structured preparation and a clearly defined path.
