From 9z’s historic upset to future prospects: Santino ‘try’ Rigal’s journey and what it means for South American CS:GO
The Historic Upset That Changed Everything
Santino ‘try’ Rigal, the emerging star from 9z, recently shared insights about his team’s remarkable victory against Team Vitality and his evolving career trajectory in professional Counter-Strike.
Santino ‘try’ Rigal played a pivotal role in 9z achieving one of the most significant CS:GO underdog victories in recent history by defeating Team Vitality in early 2021. In an exclusive conversation with Dexerto, the 17-year-old phenom reflected on that landmark match and shared his perspective on future opportunities within the competitive scene.
April 15, 2021 marked a watershed moment for South American competitive gaming. Underdogs 9z, positioned at just 88th in global rankings at the time, delivered a stunning defeat to world No.8 Team Vitality during the opening round of the BLAST Premier Spring Showdown.
9z9z’s players and coach celebrating the victory over Vitality This outcome proved particularly challenging for Vitality’s Cédric ‘RpK’ Guipouy, who had been benched following the match as previously announced by the French organization. He ultimately retired from professional play several months later without returning to competition. During the broadcast, renowned CS:GO commentator Mohan ‘launders’ Govindasamy described it as “among the most impressive upsets I’ve witnessed,” an assessment validated by Vitality’s status as overwhelming 1.03 favorites to progress in the tournament following their BLAST Premier Fall championship victory. Compounding their difficulties, 9z competed without Martin ‘rox’ Molina, who missed the European online event for personal reasons. His replacement was Rajohn ‘EasTor’ Linato, a Spanish AWPer competing in Europe’s secondary competitive tier. Despite the match featuring two Major champions and Mathieu ‘ZywOo’ Herbaut—the world’s top player in 2019 and 2020—it was try who emerged as the standout performer. As 9z’s players leaped from their seats embracing one another following their 2-1 series victory, all attention focused on the 16-year-old Argentinian, who delivered a series-leading 1.57 HLTV rating to secure his team’s triumph. “Words can’t adequately capture the experience,” he explained to Dexerto. “It represented something beyond my wildest expectations. https://twitter.com/9zteam/status/1382782793877442560?lang=en “ZywOo serves as one of my primary inspirations, alongside players like s1mple. Achieving a strong performance against him brought me tremendous satisfaction.”
Rapid Development and Regional Dominance
Try’s rapid adaptation to South America’s highest competitive tier following his promotion from 9z’s academy team in March 2020 demonstrates exceptional talent development. The young Argentinian earned recognition as the 11th best player competing within Brazil during 2020 according to DRAFT5 rankings, showcasing remarkable potential with the AWP despite initial difficulties mastering the weapon.
As 9z traveled to Europe for the BLAST tournament, anticipation surrounding try reached palpable levels. Any doubts about whether this excitement was justified were decisively answered during that fateful match. “I believe perceptions have shifted,” he responded when questioned about whether he’s viewed differently since that victory. “For many observers, it represented a genuine surprise. “I’m uncertain how closely international audiences follow Latin American competitive scenes or witnessed my performances in Brazilian tournaments, but the Vitality match undoubtedly attracted attention from numerous professional organizations. “I firmly believe that match represents a definitive turning point. Securing victory or delivering strong performances against elite teams like Vitality creates substantial career opportunities.” Try understands the critical importance of maximizing these infrequent chances to compete internationally. While Brazil may field the largest contingent at PGL Major Stockholm—partially due to three teams qualifying through North America—the broader Latin American scene continues striving to close competitive gaps. For 9z and similar organizations, the exhilaration of facing world-class opponents often precedes frustration when returning to lower-tier competition and potentially losing developmental gains achieved during international exposure. “The transition proves exceptionally challenging because we compete against the world’s best teams, then return to facing opponents at significantly lower competitive levels,” try elaborated. “It creates considerable stress as you must readjust to South America’s distinct gameplay styles, which differ substantially from European approaches.”
The European Test and Competitive Realities
With their complete roster now competing in Europe, 9z aims to overcome another formidable opponent during the BLAST Premier Fall Showdown opening round. This time, Team Liquid presents the obstacle for the South American squad. https://twitter.com/tryRSS/status/1437263502331326465 Despite approximately 50 positions separating the teams in global rankings, try appears undaunted. If anything, he welcomes the opportunity to measure himself against Gabriel ‘FalleN’ Toledo, widely recognized as Brazilian CS:GO’s foundational figure. “Similar to many enthusiasts, I followed SK Gaming during their period of global dominance, creating significant motivation to compete against him,” try noted. “I held tremendous admiration for their accomplishments during that era.” Try, who celebrated his 17th birthday on September 23, remains in the early phases of his professional journey, yet faces impending decisions about his developmental path. Other Argentinian professionals, including Ignacio ‘meyern’ Meyer and Luca ‘Luken’ Nadotti, have joined Brazilian organizations to advance their careers. While these players have experienced varying degrees of success internationally, this progression appears natural for try, who has clearly surpassed South America’s competitive ceiling.
Future Prospects and Career Crossroads
DreamHackFURIA have struggled since losing HEN1 – could try be the solution? FURIA has emerged as a potential destination for the young Argentinian talent. The Brazilian organization has experienced difficulties in the AWPer role since Henrique ‘HEN1′ Teles’ departure in late 2020, utilizing academy player André ‘drop’ Abreu following Paytyn ‘junior’ Johnson’s removal. Try believes his professional future “largely depends” on whether 9z relocates to North America—a strategy announced in late 2020 yet to materialize. When questioned about potential transitions to FURIA, he responded: “Such a move could represent substantial career advancement, though contractual complexities present significant challenges. “It would constitute positive progression, and I would welcome opportunities with organizations of that caliber. “Is it essential? That remains uncertain. The decision depends significantly on 9z’s strategic direction regarding regional relocation—my current understanding suggests this remains our intended path.” Argentina’s second-place finish at The World Championships 2016 in Belgrade continues representing the nation’s premier CS:GO accomplishment. Many anticipated this Cinderella run might herald a new era for Argentinian competitive gaming, yet the country has faced challenges maintaining relevance within the global scene.
For try, recruiting international talent—9z currently fields competitors from Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil—represents the only viable approach for organizations at their competitive level to remain viable. “Maintaining our current roster provides reasonable prospects for Major qualification next year,” try suggested. “However, assembling exclusively Argentinian rosters likely lacks the competitive depth required for Major achievement.”
Strategic Insights for Aspiring Professionals
Practical Development Strategies: Try’s journey offers valuable lessons for emerging competitors. First, focus on mastering specific roles rather than attempting universal proficiency—his specialization with the AWP despite initial struggles demonstrates targeted skill development. Second, seek international exposure whenever possible, as competing against superior opponents accelerates growth more effectively than dominating regional scenes. Third, maintain flexibility in gameplay approaches, adapting between South American aggressive styles and European strategic methodologies.
Common Career Pitfalls to Avoid: Many rising talents encounter similar obstacles. Avoid over-specialization too early—develop fundamental skills before focusing on specific roles. Don’t underestimate the psychological impact of tier transitions between regional and international competition. Resist the temptation to measure progress solely through statistics rather than holistic gameplay development. Finally, maintain realistic expectations about organizational transitions, understanding that contractual and logistical complexities often delay or prevent ideal moves.
Advanced Optimization Approaches: For competitors seeking to emulate try’s trajectory, consider these advanced strategies. Develop meta-game awareness by studying opponent tendencies across different regions. Create personalized training routines that address specific weaknesses identified during international competition. Build professional networks across regions to increase visibility and opportunity awareness. Finally, maintain competitive resilience by viewing setbacks as learning opportunities rather than failures.
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No reproduction without permission：SeeYouSoon Game Club » Argentinian CSGO prodigy ‘try’ ready to wreak havoc again on return to Europe From 9z's historic upset to future prospects: Santino 'try' Rigal's journey and what it means for South American CS:GO