Is Russia the best country at CSGO? Stats say so

The final count of country representation at CSGO majors shows that Russia is the best, but is that the full story?

CSGO stats website Scope.GG has analyzed all 18 majors in the game’s history to determine which nations fare the best at the top level. To very little surprise, Russia dominates the rankings in terms of quantity. The nation has fielded 52 total players to the majors, with Denmark as the only close competitor.

Scope.GG combed through the last ten years of competition CSGO to assemble this list. It shows Russia as the clear leader, followed by Denmark, Brazil, and the United States. While other countries like France, Brazil, and Sweden have dominated the game for long periods, Russia has consistently had top teams since the game’s inception. Notable Russian rosters of the past include Virtus.pro, Gambit, Moscow Five, Team Spirit, Winstrike Team, and more.

Russia has always been a major player at Coutner-Strike. The national scene is more developed than most other countries in Europe, and the game is extremely popular among younger Russian gamers. This creates a feedback loop where aspiring players see their country at majors and seek to emulate them. With Vladimir Putin acknowledging esports as a rising field, the nation’s success is unlikely to die down anytime soon, even if its players refuse to wear the flag.

Does Russia beat Denmark as the best CSGO country?

While Russia wins the title for the best country in terms of sheer numbers, there’s a good argument that Denmark is actually the most dominant nation in CSGO history.

The core of the debate comes from Astralis, which won four major championships with a largely Danish roster. This makes it’s home country the most major-winning team in CSGO history, and Denmark continues to win major championships today. Team Vitality’s victory at the Paris Major made Dane Peter “dupreeh” Rasmussen the most decorated player in the esport’s history. Danish teams maintain a high pedigree in 2023, with Heroic now carrying the torch of being a top full Danish roster.

No matter the semantics, Russia wins in the number of players, while Denmark wins for the number of champions. Both countries will take their competitive legacies into Counter-Strike 2, which will declare its first major winner in March of 2024. While America or Brazil could take them by surprise, fans should expect both countries to stay on top of the new engine.