Team Liquid announced the addition of Brazilian Counter-Strike: Global Offensive veteren Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo to its roster as the team’s dedicated AWPer.
The North America CSGO organization revealed that FalleN would fill the team’s empty roster spot left by the sudden departure of rifler Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken. FalleN has been involved in competitive CSGO for years, starting out in CS 1.6 in 2005 before moving to Source and finally to CSGO when it released in 2012. The AWPer and in-game leader is best known for his time at the helm of MIBR, SK Gaming, and Luminosity, where the 29-year-old’s crowning achievement was a first-place finish at the 2016 MLG Columbus Major.
A man who needs no intro. Welcome to Liquid, @FalleNCS! pic.twitter.com/BBwhpcIwzC
— Team Liquid CSGO (@TeamLiquidCS) January 9, 2021
FalleN enters Liquid already familiar with one of the roster’s star players. Jake “Stewie2K” Yip played under FalleN and the MIBR banner after his own Major win in 2018. Stewie2K and MIBR parted ways in a blockbuster trade that sent Stewie to Liquid in exchange for former MIBR player Epitácio “TACO” de Melo and the organization’s former head coach in Wilton “zews” Prado. FalleN stopped short of saying that he had been brought in to the team to add a strategic element to Liquid’s explosive framework, but the veteran will likely have a big say over the team’s playmaking in 2021.
Twistzz left Team Liquid in a surprising announcement on December 20, revealing that he would no longer stay on the organization’s roster after the team’s loss to Astralis at the 2020 IEM Global Challenge. Since then, various rumors had connected FalleN to Liquid and its empty spot. FalleN takes the slot at a pivotal time for the Liquid organization. After watching a homegrown talent in Twistzz leave and explore options in both North America and Europe, FalleN will have to try and hold TL together after a rough 2020. After winning the IEM Grand Slam in July 2019, Team Liquid hasn’t won a single international tournament since.
Stewie2K was likely a driving force behind FalleN’s addition to Liquid, and most likely will defer to the older, wiser “Godfather of Brazilian CSGO” moving forward. FalleN left MIBR after the organization allegedly forced a roster move that saw several of FalleN’s longtime teammates removed from the squad. FalleN should make his Liquid debut at BLAST Premier’s Global Final, which starts on January 19.
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