Last season was a true triumph for NAVI. The team won four tournaments, including a Major, and from June to October consistently placed in the top 2 at six consecutive events. Every player was in excellent form, the coaching system led by B1ad3 functioned like clockwork, and it seemed that this lineup would dominate for a long time.
However, everything changed in 2025. NAVI started the year poorly, with 4th place at BLAST Bounty and IEM Katowice being the best results out of four tournaments. Not a single final, not a single trophy. Currently, the team is ranked 11th in the VRS rankings — the lowest position in their history.
Individual Form of the Players
w0nderful
w0nderful has already proven that he can be an important part of the system, but he clearly lacks consistency. In crucial 2025 matches, he either disappears or takes too long to get into the game. In 2024, he was a solid replacement for s1mple and across several tournaments held an impressive average rating of 1.11. This year, however, that number has dropped to 1.07. His T-side especially suffers, where he often fades in the face of more aggressive opponents. One moment he can hit an incredible shot, and the next he misses an easy one.
b1t
In the current lineup, b1t is arguably the most consistent performer. He had some struggles early on with the switch to English communication, likely due to language issues, but now he’s back to his 2021 level. He executes his role exceptionally well, and his stats fully support that. In 2024, he was solid, on par with his teammates, averaging a 1.14 rating — now in 2025, he has grown even further, improving to a 1.17 average, while others have slightly declined.
jL
jL was the hero of the Copenhagen Major and received multiple individual accolades in 2024, but in 2025 his impact has significantly decreased. He’s still an emotional leader and supports the team mentally, but from a firepower standpoint — it’s not enough. While his overall stats might suggest otherwise, his impact in important matches has dropped. The stability that jL once brought is no longer there, and the team feels that.
iM
If in summer 2024 iM finally started playing like a star, now he’s back to his early NAVI days. He was expected to be one of the leaders on T-side, but instead often fades into the background. In the latter half of 2024, he delivered solid performances and did everything expected of him — now it feels like he’s back at square one.
AleksiB
AleksiB’s individual level continues to raise concerns. Yes, he’s the IGL and fits B1ad3’s structure well, but CS2 is primarily a shooting game. While someone like apEX has improved individually in CS2, AleksiB has declined. Last year, his leadership compensated for the lack of kills — but now, with the system not functioning well, his fragging deficiency is too visible.
Is the B1ad3 System No Longer Working?
2024 was the best advertisement for B1ad3’s structural approach. Tactical discipline, well-crafted rounds, and bootcamps paid off. He achieved great results even with lesser-known players, shocking everyone. But in 2025, the system started to break down. Players look constrained, T-sides appear slow and predictable, and in key moments rounds fall apart. Even B1ad3 admitted the team is tense and afraid to play their game. Opponents have adapted to NAVI’s style and are ready for them. Last year, only Spirit caused problems thanks to superior individual skill — now the issues are widespread.
Additionally, the team may have overestimated itself by trying to expand their map pool to all seven maps. While ambitious, this backfired — they lost confidence even on maps where NAVI used to feel at home.
Are Roster Changes Needed?
B1ad3 has already hinted in interviews that changes could happen — but only if the team fails to make playoffs at the next Major.
“If we don’t reach the quarterfinals, we’ll start thinking about roster changes.”
This sounds like a clear deadline for the current lineup. But given their current form, chances of a top-8 finish don’t look promising. Against teams like Spirit, Vitality, MOUZ, or even Falcons, NAVI currently has too few arguments. At the recent IEM Melbourne 2025, they lost to Liquid — a team that doesn’t even look like a real threat right now.
How Can NAVI Fix This?
NAVI’s problems are systemic: individual stats have dropped, T-sides are ineffective, and their map pool is shaky. While Vitality can win through ZywOo, Falcons through NiKo and m0NESY, and Spirit through donk — NAVI has always relied on winning as a team.
Only one tournament remains before the Major, and NAVI must either regain their 2024 level or prepare for big changes. A bootcamp is planned before the Major, and it may be the final opportunity for many to prove themselves.
