ESL Pro League Season 20 came to an exciting end as Natus Vincere defeated Eternal Fire in a thrilling best-of-five Grand Final to win their third major title of the year. The match featured a fierce back-and-forth struggle that ended with a stunning 3-2 win for NAVI.
WE ARE THE ESL Pro League Season 20 CHAMPIONS! pic.twitter.com/Kl3NSPNzV0
— NAVI (@natusvincere) September 22, 2024
Having faced off against Team Spirit earlier in the tournament, NAVI entered the Grand Final determined to break a four-match losing streak against them. The team’s resilience shone through as they demonstrated that their competitive spirit remains unbroken. They stormed through the Group A stage without losing a single map, defeating Spirit 2-0 and G2 Esports 2-1 in the playoffs, setting the stage for their ultimate showdown against the Turkish squad.
Eternal Fire, on the other hand, made their own waves by reversing a series against TheMongolz and delivering a stunning upset by eliminating Team Vitality before dispatching MIBR with a 2-0 victory to secure their Grand Final berth.
The final began with an unexpected setback for NAVI, who dropped the opener on Nuke. Despite recovering to win the second map, they faced another challenge on Inferno, where they suffered a heavy defeat of 13-4. However, the Major champions rallied together, showcasing their skill and determination to clinch the title.
NAVI’s captain, Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen, celebrated not only the victory but also a personal milestone, breaking an eight-match losing streak in best-of-five grand finals—a remarkable turnaround for the Finnish leader who last won in this format nearly six years ago with ENCE.
After putting up outstanding performances against strong opponents like Spirit and G2, Lithuanian rifler Justinas “jL” Lekavičius was named the tournament MVP. He also made a key contribution to NAVI’s successful campaign.
NAVI, having previously claimed titles at the PGL Major Copenhagen and the Esports World Cup, has cemented its status as the best team of 2024 with this most recent triumph. Congratulations to NAVI, Eternal Fire, and all of the exceptional performances that summed up ESL Pro League Season 20 .
