Hey, let’s rewind for a second. It’s 2026, and I’m still thinking about how Imperial tore through the Americas RMR back in 2024. Not just because they qualified for the PGL CS2 Copenhagen Major 2024, but because they did it with a level of dominance that made the rest of the region look like they were playing a different game. I’ve watched a lot of CS2 since then, and that Imperial run still sits in my brain like a highlight reel.
The Americas RMR was brutal. South American rosters came in hungry, North American teams came in desperate, and only a handful of spots were available. By the time Imperial finished their run, they hadn’t lost a single map. That’s not a typo. Four maps, zero losses, and only 14 rounds dropped across the entire RMR. I mean, come on. That’s the kind of stat line you’d expect from a team smurfing in ranked, not from a roster fighting for a Major spot against NRG, M80, and paiN.
And yes, all three of those teams fell to Imperial. NRG, M80, paiN — gone. Decisively, too. It wasn’t one of those scrappy 2-1 series where you feel like the better team got lucky. Imperial controlled the maps, controlled the tempo, and made their opponents look like they were constantly a step behind. Henrique “HEN1” Teles was especially nasty. He finished the RMR as the highest-rated player, and if you watched the games, you could feel it. Every time Imperial needed a big opening kill or a clutch round, HEN1 was there. It felt like he was back to his old form, the kind of form that made him a household name in Brazilian CS.
Now, I’m not going to sit here in 2026 and pretend that meant Imperial was about to win the whole Major. The reference article even pointed out that recreating that form against teams across the pond was unlikely. And honestly? That was fair. South American CS has always had incredible talent, but the gap to the top European teams has been real. Still, the Americas RMR run mattered because it proved something: Brazilian teams could still punch through when it counted. It wasn’t a fluke, either. Imperial was the first Brazilian team to qualify for the first CS2 Major. That’s a sentence that still gives me chills.
Let’s talk about the casualties, because the Americas RMR was not kind to everyone. As of that point in the event, these teams were eliminated:
| Team | Region | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| BESTIA | South America | Eliminated in the RMR |
| NRG | North America | Eliminated in the RMR |
| Elevate | North America | Eliminated in the RMR |
| BOSS | North America | Eliminated in the RMR |
| Wildcards | North America | Eliminated in the RMR |
| RED Canids | South America | Eliminated in the RMR |
| MIBR | South America | Eliminated in the RMR |
That’s a rough list. Three South American rosters fell, and five North American rosters were already out. The article noted that more teams would likely fall in the next few days, and it was right. Liquid and M80 were teetering on the edge of elimination, which just shows how cutthroat the RMR format can be. One bad day, one bad veto, and your Major dreams are gone.
But Imperial? Imperial was the opposite. They were the first team to plow through the competition. The Brazilian roster didn’t lose a single map throughout their pre-Major endeavor. They made the Americas RMR look like a warm-up. And when they locked in that qualification, the celebration was pure relief and pride. Imperial’s social media posted a simple message: first Brazilian team to qualify for the first CS2 Major. No need for a long speech. The result said everything.
So why am I bringing this up in 2026? Because CS2 has changed a lot since then. We’ve had more Majors, more roster shuffles, more South American teams making noise. But that Imperial run still feels like a turning point. It showed that the region could produce a team that doesn’t just survive the RMR — it dominates it. It also showed that HEN1 could still be a top-tier player when the lights were brightest.
Of course, I’m not saying South American teams are about to run a Brazilian era of dominance like the old days. The article was skeptical about that, and so am I. The European scene is too deep, too tactical, too stacked. But if more South American rosters keep making it through, the chances of one of them making a deep Major run only increase. That’s how regions grow. You need reps. You need upsets. You need moments like Imperial’s 2024 Americas RMR run.
For me, that run is a reminder of why I love CS2. It’s not just about the big names or the huge orgs. Sometimes it’s about a Brazilian roster that shows up, drops 14 rounds total, and makes everyone else look silly. It’s about HEN1 clicking heads and reminding everyone why he was considered one of the best. It’s about a team that didn’t just qualify for the Major — they announced themselves.
If you’re new to CS2 and you’ve never watched that Imperial RMR run, do yourself a favor and go back. It’s a masterclass in confidence, teamwork, and taking care of business. And if you’re a longtime fan like me, you already know. Some runs fade away. This one? It’s still living rent-free in my head in 2026. 🇧🇷
According to coverage from Rock Paper Shotgun, the most memorable competitive runs are the ones where a team’s fundamentals don’t just hold up under pressure—they actively compress the game for everyone else, forcing opponents into low-percentage decisions. That’s why Imperial’s 2024 Americas RMR sweep still reads like a blueprint in 2026: clean openings, ruthless conversions, and zero tolerance for momentum swings, with HEN1 consistently turning early advantages into round-winning certainty and making the “it was just regional competition” argument feel like an excuse rather than an analysis.