French organisation Gentle Mates confirmed on August 7 that they are ending their Counter-Strike project — but the players aren't going anywhere just yet. The squad is playing the Esports World Cup Last Chance Qualifier in Paris under the Iberian Soul tag.
The released lineup
- Alejandro "alex" Masanet
- Alejandro "mopoz" Fernández-Quejo Cano
- Pere "sausol" Solsona Saumell
- David "dav1g" Granado Bermudo
- Coach: Daniel "djL" Narancic
Two former core players are already elsewhere: Antonio "MartinezSa" Martinez left for HEROIC during the off-season, and Eloy "deLonge" Suárez announced free agency earlier this year.
Iberian Soul continue the run
Rather than dissolve immediately, the released lineup entered Paris under the Iberian Soul banner with Joey "CRUC1AL" Steusel as stand-in. Their opening bo3 was a shock elimination-bracket drop to 6666 — one of the biggest upsets of LCQ Day 1 — but the group has stated intent to keep competing while they seek a new home.
Gentle Mates timeline
Gentle Mates entered CS in 2025 and never quite broke through the tier-two ceiling. In the interview accompanying today's news, alex confirmed the group is "in talks with some orgs" while acknowledging the situation "is affecting us mentally." The org itself has not published a management statement beyond stepping away from the roster.
