The Shanghai Major 2024 Qualifier Stage presents several underdog teams poised to make significant impacts, with two standout contenders deserving special attention.

Heroic (#7 HLTV/Valve rankings) enters as a direct invite following their 3-1 performance in the European RMR Group B. After transitioning from their all-Danish roster 11 months ago, the team found new life with the addition of degster as AWPer. Recent achievements include playoff appearances at EPL S20, a top 4 finish at IEM Rio 2024, and silver medals at both Elisa Masters Espoo 2024 and Thunderpick World Championship 2024.

With sjuush's reliable support play, TeSeS's improving form (1.13 rating), NertZ's world-class shooting (1.23 rating), kyxsan's strategic leadership, sAw's experience, and degster's high-ceiling potential, Heroic appears primed for a deep tournament run.

The MongolZ (#5 Valve, #9 HLTV) represents Asia's strongest hope for a breakthrough performance. Their 2024 resume includes:

• Top 16 at PGL Copenhagen Major
• Playoff appearances at EPL 19 & 20, IEM Cologne, IEM Rio
• Championships at Thunderpick ($850,000) and YaLLa Compass LAN ($400,000)
• $986,347 total prize money (4th highest in 2024)

Led by 23-year-old bLitz, the team features exceptional firepower from AWPer 910 (22) and rifler Senzu (18). After dominating the Open Qualifiers with only 15 rounds lost across four maps, The MongolZ has demonstrated both the tactical depth and raw skill needed to compete with elite global competition.

The stable five-man roster, together since September 2023, looks to make history as the first Asian team to achieve significant Major success on home soil.

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