Home Teams Monte CS2 Team Roster Players Results and 2026 Outlook

15.01.2026

Monte CS2 Team Roster Players Results and 2026 Outlook

Monte is one of those teams that always feels dangerous in a best of three. They are not the constant headline favorite, but they have a habit of turning structured mid round Counter Strike into wins against bigger names when the server gets chaotic. That identity is still there heading into 2026, but the story right now is transition.

The current Monte CS2 lineup is built around a British core led by Jack Gizmy von Spreckelsen, supported by experienced pieces like Bymas and afro, with a temporary stand in used recently due to a roster change.

Table of Contents

Current Monte CS2 roster and staff

Here is the most up to date snapshot of Monte CS2 based on current listings and recent official announcements.

Monte CS2 Current Roster 2026

Player Tag	Real Name	Country	Role / Notes
Gizmy	Jack von Spreckelsen	United Kingdom	In game leader, core caller, structured mid round control
AZUWU	Oscar Bell	United Kingdom	Rifler, flexible roles, support and secondary entry
Bymas	Aurimas Pipiras	Lithuania	Star rifler, high impact in mid round fights
afro	Aurélien Drapier	France	Primary AWPer, aggressive opening pick style
Rainwaker	Aleks Petrov	Bulgaria	Stand in player for BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1
kakafu	Alexander Szymanczyk	Austria	Head coach, tactical preparation and structure

Sources for the roster and roles: HLTV lists the core lineup, Liquipedia lists Gizmy as in game leader, and Monte confirmed Rainwaker as a stand in for BLAST Bounty. Afro is widely categorized as an AWPer and his HLTV stats profile shows very high sniping indicators.

What changed recently and why it matters

Monte recently lost ryu to Astralis, which created an immediate gap in the five man structure and forced them to use a stand in for BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1.

This matters because Monte is a system team. When you swap a piece, especially around the roles that glue defaults together, you can get two very different outcomes:

• Short term volatility, meaning upset potential goes up because opponents have less tape and less certainty
• Long term ceiling depends on whether Monte finds a true fifth that fits the calling style and pacing that Gizmy wants

If you watched Monte in past eras, you already know they can punch above their ranking when the chemistry is right. The question for 2026 is whether they can stabilize quickly enough to stack deep runs instead of isolated surprises.

Recent results that show the current ceiling

The best recent proof point is their win over Natus Vincere in BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1, where Monte won the series 2 to 1.

That series is a perfect Monte example for two reasons:

• They were fielding Rainwaker as a stand in and still closed out a top opponent
• The match was not a one map fluke, it went the distance across three maps

When a team can survive that kind of pressure while role swapping mid event, it usually signals that their mid round communication and late round decision making are solid.

How Monte CS2 tends to play

Monte at their best is not pure aim brawl and it is not slow turtle Counter Strike either. They generally win by being structured early, then decisive in mid round.

What that looks like in plain language:

• Clean default spacing so they do not donate opening picks
• AWP presence that forces opponents to respect angles and burn utility, especially when afro is online
• Late round calling where the team commits to a plan quickly instead of hesitating

With Gizmy leading, you often see a preference for turning information into movement. He has been explicitly identified as their in game leader in coverage and on player pages.

Strengths

Strong upset profile
Monte has a track record of making series uncomfortable for favorites, and the recent win over NAVI reinforces that they can still do it even during roster instability.

A clear leadership identity
When a roster is changing, you want one consistent voice. The fact that Gizmy is the in game leader gives them continuity while they test the fifth spot.

High impact AWP potential
Afro is a true sniper leaning player by the numbers. When your AWP is producing, your whole playbook expands, especially on maps where you can chain picks into fast site hits.

Weaknesses and risks

The fifth player question
Right now the biggest weakness is not a map pool issue or mechanics. It is simply the missing stable fifth after ryu left, which is why they used Rainwaker as a stand in for BLAST Bounty.

Role pressure on the core four
When you run four starters plus a stand in, someone almost always has to bend their comfort roles. That can be fine for a series or two, but it becomes a ceiling if it lasts too long.

Ranking lag versus true level
HLTV currently has them outside the very top tier, which can affect invites and seeding. Monte has to keep stacking results to stop living in the hardest possible brackets.

Upcoming matches and what is next

As of today, HLTV lists no upcoming Monte matches on their team page.

That said, Monte is actively involved in the BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 time window, which runs in an online phase from January 13 to January 18 2026, with a LAN finals event scheduled for January 22 to January 25 2026 in Malta.

So what should you expect next as a fan:

• Monte will likely learn their next BLAST Bounty opponent as the online stage progresses, since they advanced by beating NAVI
• The big storyline to watch is whether Rainwaker remains only a short term stand in, or whether Monte announces a permanent fifth shortly after this event

If you are tracking Monte for betting or fantasy, the safe approach is to treat them as high variance until the roster locks. The moment the fifth spot becomes permanent, Monte becomes much easier to rate match to match.

Verdict and 2026 outlook

Monte CS2 is in a classic transition phase that still has real upside. The core has enough experience to beat top teams, and the leadership structure is clear, which is the hardest part to replace quickly. The risk is simply time. If the fifth spot stays fluid for too long, consistency will be the thing that slips.

If they solve that roster puzzle early in 2026, Monte has a believable path back into regular playoff contention at tier one events. If they do not, they will remain the team nobody wants to draw, but that also struggles to string together deep runs.

Quick FAQ

Who is on Monte CS2 right now
The core listed lineup is Bymas, afro, Gizmy, and AZUWU, with Rainwaker used recently as a stand in and kakafu as coach.

Did Monte recently beat NAVI
Yes, Monte beat Natus Vincere 2 to 1 at BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1.

Why is Monte using a stand in
Because ryu left the team for Astralis, and Monte confirmed Rainwaker as a stand in for BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1.