w0nderful: "s1mple and I are different players"
"... and two different personalities"
s1mple has been an integral part of the NAVI organisation since 2016. Their poster boy, he ascended to GOAT status while wearing the yellow and black, and it's hard to imagine a NAVI team without him.
That being said, nothing lasts forever, and as the Undertaker takes a break from competitive play for personal reasons, NAVI has signed youngster w0nderful in his place.
w0nderful is a lifelong NAVI fan now getting to achieve his boyhood dream. When we sit down with him to ask how he's feeling about it, he responds with a cheeky grin.
"It feels wonderful." He says.
To be honest, we probably shouldn't have expected anything else.
w0nderful's destiny awaits
Given that he himself has always dreamed of this moment, the question on everyone's mind is how w0nderful will handle the pressure of playing for his region's greatest organisation. w0nderful, however, isn't concerned.
"I don't feel any extra pressure," he says.
This is all well and good, but what about the pressure of replacing the player universally considered to be the greatest of all time?
"We are two different players and two different personalities, so there is no pressure," he tells BLAST.tv, adding that s1mple has "wished me the best of luck."
Photo: Michal KonkolThere's a distinct calmness to w0nderful.
He may only be 18, but he already has a wealth of experience. With Spirit, he reached the quarter-finals of the IEM Rio Major, his first appearance at a Major. Despite being a rookie at that point, his clutch capabilities displayed the composure of a player who had already enjoyed years at the top.
Dominant in tier-two
After leaving Spirit earlier this year, it would have been easy for the Ukrainian to fade into the background. Instead, he has been dominant in tier two and three for Sprout, recording a 1.29 HLTV rating in the past three months.
He says his time with Sprout was "great preparation" for this opportunity. Having never communicated in English before, it would have been understandable if he had struggled, especially given some of the instability Sprout has suffered from in 2023.
"It’s always like this [unstable] in tier two and three teams, it takes a lot of time to find stability and to make things work. If I had more time to play in Sprout, we could have become a good contender and play more stable."
We'll never know if w0nderful could have helped Sprout back to tier one in the early stages of Counter-Strike 2. With form like his it was likely, but instead, we'll now see if he can help bring trophies back to one of Counter-Strike's most successful organisations.
Photo: Michal KonkolNAVI has steadily improved since they became an international roster months ago. Their time in CS:GO ended with a runners-up finish at ESL Pro League 17, and despite playing with their coach B1ad3 in place of s1mple at IEM Sydney, they still managed to look like a side with a bright future.
For NAVI, trophies are a must, but w0nderful is aware that it may take time to start winning gold.
"All I want right now is to feel myself confident enough to be able to play my own game."
w0nderful will debut for NAVI this week at BLAST Premier Fall Final. Set to take place in Copenhagen's iconic Royal Arena, the eight teams involved will battle it out for a $425,000 prize pool.
To catch all of the action in 4K, stay right here on BLAST.tv.