Olofmeister Reinstalled to FaZe Clan

Olof “olofmeister” Kajbjer has returned as an active player for FaZe Clan, as announced on Monday, June 14. The Swedish Counter-Strike: Global Offensive veteran will step back into the competitive scene after a four-month hiatus.

Olofmeister Is Not Ready to Retire

Olofmeister has been confirmed as the fifth man on FaZe Clan CS:GO roster by his teammate Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken. The Swedish in-game leader will return to active duty for the first time since February 2020, when he served as a temporary stand-in.

The 29-year-old esports veteran has joined FaZe Clan in August 2017 and has since established himself as a key member of the team. He has led FaZe through some of the organization’s most successful years, which includes a runner-up finish at ELEAGUE Major: Boston 2018.

After actively playing for the team for almost a year, olofmeister stepped down from the active roster in April 2018 but has made a swift return in May. Olofmeister remained with the team for one month before taking another short break, returning back to the roster in July 2018.

The Swede then spent nearly two years as a member of FaZe Clan’s active CS:GO lineup, but again found himself on the bench in May 2020, where he remained for five months. His last stint with FaZe started in October 2020 and lasted until February 2021, while the North American esports organization were amidst rebuilding their roster.

After spending the last four years on and off FaZe’s roster, olofmeister will make another return to the competitive play. It will mark the fourth time he will re-enter the competitive scene.

By deciding to continue his esports career, olofmeister is now one of the oldest still serving CS:GO player at the top level of play. At 29-years-of-age, the 2021 season marks his 11th year in the scene, and it seems like he is not ready to retire just yet.

Poor Results = Roster Changes

Olofmeister’s return follows the benching of Marcelo “coldzera” David, who has been moved to the inactive roster at the start of the month. The decision to bench the Brazillian esports pro follows FaZe Clan’s poor performances across the year.

FaZe Clan have not achieved much in 2021, despite their roster rebuild at the start of the year. Their most notable success of the season came in February when FaZe finished fourth-sixth at the BLAST Premier: Spring Groups 2021.

Outside of that, FaZe consistently struggled to make a deep run in any tournaments they appeared in. That includes top-16 finishes at DreamHack Masters Spring 2021 and Flashpoint Season 3, 17th-20th at ESL Pro League Season 13, as well as ninth-12th at the Intel Extreme Masters XV – World Championship.
Months of disappointing results saw FaZe crash out of the top-30 in the global rankings. They’re now ranked 33rd in the world, which is the worst placement in the organization’s history.

FaZe Clan Shot at Redemption

FaZe Clan will showcase their new-look roster at BLAST Premier: Spring Finals 2021. The tournament will run from June 15-20, with eight teams in attendance and $425,000 in the prize pool.

There, FaZe Clan will compete against BIG, Complexity, Natus Vincere, Ninjas in Pyjamas, Evil Geniuses, G2 Esports, and Gambit Esports. FaZe Clan’s first match of the tournament is scheduled for Wednesday, June 16, when they’ll take on Natus Vincere at 15:30 CEST.

Odds for FaZe Clan vs. Natus Vincere Match

Odds courtesy of BetOnline Sportsbook:

• FaZe +210
• NaVi -294
• FaZe +1.5 Maps -147
• NaVi -1.5 Maps +110
• Over 2.5 Maps +125
• Under 2.5 Maps -167

Natus Vincere and FaZe Clan last met in February in BLAST Premier Spring Groups 2021. Natus Vincere won that match 2-1, with 19-17 on Train, 11-16 on Nuke, and 16-8 on Inferno.

Despite their relative success against NaVi last time out, FaZe are now in a much worse shape than how they were in February. Even with the addition of olofmeister, the team will struggle to remain competitive with NaVi, who have been playing exceptionally well of late.

NaVi are ranked no.2 in the world and are well ahead of FaZe in the global standings. The esports betting odds fairly reflect that, with NaVi priced as a huge -294 favorites.