NAVI Win PGL CS2 Major Copenhagen 2024 - News Flash #6
NAVI become the first organization to win both a CS:GO and CS2 Major.
As it turns out, s1mple was the problem all along. No, seriously.
Going International
When electroNic and Perfecto left to join Cloud9 after the BLAST.tv Paris Major and NAVI announced their transition to an international roster, the community’s outcry was palpable.
Aleksib - G2’s and NIP’s reject was to lead the GOAT in his pursuit of another Major trophy.
jL and iM - an unknown Eastern European duo join the most consistent CS:GO organization of all time after one good tournament.
Despite the initial struggles, after four months of hard work, NAVI finally had something to show for it - a second-place finish at ESL Pro League Season 18.
s1mple is Gone
The team seemed to have been on an upward trend, slowly improving game by game. Unfortunately, that’s precisely when s1mple decided he’s had enough, and needed to go on a break.
With the GOAT leaving the team at CS2’s first arrival, hopes for the roster’s future rapidly dwindled. “Who can replace s1mple?”, everyone wondered.
To preserve the identity of the team, NAVI decided to sign the next best Ukrainian AWPer they could find - w0nderful. Luckily for them, they hit the jackpot.
The 19-year-old fit within the team like a glove, performing very well right from his first outing. Additionally, his addition seemed to have improved the mood within the roster, which was always an issue in its previous iterations.
However, over the next few months, their only playoff run ended in the semi-finals of the BLAST Premier World Final 2023, where Vitality taught them a lesson.
That is until the PGL CS2 Major Copenhagen 2024 rolled around.
Major Fairytale
NAVI’s Major run is full of ups, downs, and even more ups. The black and yellow started strong, besting the fan favorites TheMongolz in the opener, before outlasting Aleksi’s former team G2 in a banging game - not the last time this Major.
Then the trouble began, as they lost two consecutive BO3 series to two of their biggest rivals from the region - Cloud9 and Spirit.
Fortunately for NAVI, thanks to the luck of the draw and the Bucholz system, they got to play paiN in the 2-2 decider match, where they took care of the Brazilians, albeit looking shaky at times.
By another stroke of luck, NAVI ended up on the (relatively) easier side of the playoff bracket, where they didn’t have to face any of Spirit, FaZe, or Vitality until the Grand Final.
NAVI took full advantage of the situation, eliminating Major playoff newcomers Eternal Fire in the quarters, before dispatching G2 and improving Aleksi’s record against NiKo and co to a whopping 6-0.
Now, the s1mple-less European mix was only one game away from lifting the Major trophy. However, their toughest challenge yet was standing upon them - the playoff-buffed FaZe Clan.
Hardly anyone expected NAVI to have a realistic chance of claiming the Major title against the veterans of FaZe, who had taken down Spirit and Vitality on their way to the Major Grand Final.
Although everything was pointing to karrigan lifting his second Major title in a sold-out Royal Arena, a place he had never won before, the CS2 scriptwriters had other plans.
The inexperienced international NAVI roster, without electroNic, Perfecto, or CS:GO’s greatest player of all time s1mple, took down the behemoth of FaZe Clan in the Major Grand Final, becoming the PGL CS2 Major Copenhagen 2024 Champions.
Unlikely Hero
Had someone told you that this NAVI roster is going to win the Major and one of their players is going to be the Major MVP, these were the likely options you might have thought about:
w0nderful - Young and talented prodigy AWPer that could have a breakout event and establish himself as one of the best snipers in the world.
iM - Finally started working in Aleksi’s system and is back to his GamerLegion form. He was a Major MVP contender before, so why can’t he do it again?
b1t - Absolutely nasty when he first came onto the scene and won the Major in 2021. Still young so surely able to return to his previous form.
While all of the above could have manifested in another timeline, in our world it’s jL that stood above the rest, opponents and teammates alike, and earned himself the Major MVP medal.
The former Lithuanian AWPer turned rifler ascended to another level in Copenhagen. His impenetrable defense and late-round clutching prowess helped NAVI get over the line in several close matches they might not have otherwise.
Future Uncertainty
While it is uncertain whether there will be any changes to the roster in the coming months (s1mple for iM?), NAVI’s players, coach, staff, and millions of fans can revel in the victory and cherish this moment for years to come.