Tricked return with valde and former Gaimin Gladiators core

With Nicklas Bendtner among the investors behind the project, Tricked return after a near two-year absence.

valde will serve as Tricked's IGL

Tricked have returned to CS with a team featuring Valdemar "⁠valde⁠" Bjørn Vangså and the former Gaimin Gladiators core, with footballer Nicklas Bedtner forming part of the investment team behind Tricked's revival.

valde, Magnus "⁠Nodios⁠" Olsen, Jonas "⁠Queenix⁠" Dideriksen, Jason "⁠salazar⁠" Salazar and Jamie "⁠leakz⁠" Bugge West Jensen are the team's starting roster, whilst Allan "⁠Rejin⁠" Petersen takes up coaching duties.

"I've been deeply involved in assembling this team," said Nicklas Bedtner, best known for his time at Arsenal, in a press release. "I genuinely believe we have a lineup that can compete at the highest level."

"We have the perfect mix of experience and raw talent," opined the team's IGL, valde. "Our goal is clear: to bring Tricked back to the top."

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Tricked exited Counter-Strike mid-way through 2023 due to bankruptcy, having spent the majority of their time in the game outside the top 30. The most notable exception to that rule came in 2019, where their squad featuring the likes of Nicolai "⁠HUNDEN⁠" Petersen, Rasmus "⁠sjuush⁠" Beck and Lucas "⁠Bubzkji⁠" Andersen cracked the top 20 after winning V4 Future Sports Festival 2019.

The two most recognizable pieces of their revival are valde and Rejin, who made their names in trophy-winning stints with North and MOUZ respectively. Most-recently the pair were involved in TSM's ill-fated return to CS, suffering significant roster instability and an inability to achieve any notable results.

The core of the Tricked squad, Nodios, Queenix and salazar, first earned recognition for their underdog run to PGL Major Copenhagen with ECSTATIC, where they made it through the Opening Stage as the only Danish team in attendance at their home Major.

The trio went on to sign with Gaimin Gladiators, but results steadily declined as they struggled to maintain the form that saw them hit No. 17 in the HLTV world ranking in their time with ECSTATIC.

Rounding out the roster is leakz, a 21-year-old who has spent his entire career bouncing between sub-top Danish sides like WOPA and CEPTER.

Tricked are:

Valdemar "⁠valde⁠" Bjørn Vangså
Jonas "⁠Queenix⁠" Dideriksen
Magnus "⁠Nodios⁠" Olsen
Jason "⁠salazar⁠" Salazar
Jamie "⁠leakz⁠" Bugge West Jensen

Allan "⁠Rejin⁠" Petersen (coach)