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Aurora Gaming has shocked the CS2 community with its latest signing, an eight-year-old Counter-Strike 2 prodigy named Adil “ShaLun” Sovetov.
The rising star from Kazakhstan, who has been playing CS since he was about five and a half years old under the guidance of his father, has been added to Aurora Gaming’s training programme on September 19, 2025.
Despite receiving a FACEIT ban at the start of 2025 for violating the platform’s age restrictions, ShaLun continued to grind CS2 and showcase his skills, garnering attention from the game’s global community and professional organizations.
Under this new agreement, Aurora will provide ShaLun with mentorship from experienced CS2 players, media and discipline coaching, and other resources to help him grow both in-game and professionally.
According to a statement from Aurora Gaming CEO Adalyat Mamedov, ShaLun is a clear example that “age isn’t important in esports.”
“We are giving him a team, mentors, and the right ecosystem,” Mamedov said. “And then, who knows: maybe he will soon become that guy from the highlights who lifts the major trophy and breaks the internet.”
This move makes ShaLun one of the youngest players ever signed by a professional esports organization. A similar precedent was set when North American org Team 33 signed eight-year-old Joseph “Gosu” Deen to its Fortnite roster.
ShaLun’s signing once again proves that age is just a number when it comes to clicking heads in the world of esports. The CS2 community will undoubtedly be keeping its eyes peeled to see what this young prodigy can achieve in the future.