Year in review: A wild ride for Liquid

We're coming to the end of 2024 now, so we thought it would be a good idea to turn back the clock and look back on the years of all the BLAST Premier teams.

Next up is Liquid, a team who had a year that absolutely no one would have predicted when the year began.

They've had some crazy highs and lows this year, so let's take a look back at their results and roster moves.

The first season

Liquid came into 2024 with some big changes, Twistzz had rejoined from FaZe, while cadiaN, skullz, and zews all arrived to complete the roster.

They began their time together with a tear-jerking bootcamp video and qualified for the PGL Major Copenhagen RMR, but soon faced disappointment as they failed to qualify for both IEM Chengdu and BLAST Premier Spring Finals, denying themselves two of the bigger LANs throughout the season.

However, they would later qualify for Chengdu due to M80 dropping out, and they also secured a place in their home event, IEM Dallas.

Photo: Stephanie Lindgren

Also missing out on IEM Katowice due to the core having a lack of ranking points, their next event would be the RMR itself.

The RMR was a disaster. Despite having high hopes to make cadiaN's home Major, losses to FURIA and Complexity saw them denied a place at the event, and the team took it's first real big hit as a lineup.

The next hit came at BLAST Premier Spring Showdown, where they were eliminated int he first round by SAW.

They bounced back with playoff finishes at IEM Chengdu and ESL Pro League Season 19, as well as a runners up finish in the CCT Global Final, but missing out on playoffs at IEM Dallas capped off on a disappointing first season for the org.

Photo: Michal Konkol

The second season

Cracks were clear throughout the first season, so it was no surprise to see cadiaN, zews, and skullz benched in the player break.

However, their replacements were a surprise. Instead of signing an IGL, Twistzz stepped into the role. jks was signed to replace skullz, mithR replaced zews, but that left the team without an AWPer.

Eventually, an AWPer was found, that man being a relatively unknown sniper from Poland, ultimate.

An incredibly aggressive player, ultimate immediately became one of the most exciting players in the scene off the back of an incredible overtime performance on Ancient against Virtus.pro.

Photo: Stephanie Lindgren

Results picked up straight away. The team first qualified for BLAST Premier Fall Final, and then narrowly missed out on the playoffs of IEM Cologne after a heartbreaking collapse against FaZe.

Playoff runs at ESL Pro League Season 20 and BLAST Premier Fall Final followed, but results slowed down at IEM Rio and BLAST Premier World Final as they exited both events without gracing the stage.

The final event of the year, the Perfect World Shanghai Major, would signal how far they had come as a team in just six months.

After bouncing back from an opening defeat against Wildcard in the RMR, Liquid breezed through the Opening Stage of the Major with a 3-0 record.

Photo: Stephanie Lindgren

The Elimination Stage would prove to be slightly more challenging, but an opening defeat to NAVI was followed by wins against GamerLegion, FURIA, MIBR, booking them a place in the Major playoffs.

Sadly for Liquid, that would be where their Major journey came to an end. Matched against eventual winners Spirit in the quarter-finals, Liquid were defeated 2-0 thanks to yet another terrifying performance from donk.

An abrupt end to their year, 2024 was a year in which Liquid showed their potential to once again reach the top of the Counter-Strike ladder.

They've since benched YEKINDAR, and are now linked with NertZ, making them an even scarier prospect for next year.

There's a way to go, they're still somewhat unproven against the other elite teams, but their players know what it takes to be at the top. All they have to do is get there.