After suffering defeat in the grand final of IEM Cologne 2024, NAVI bounced back instantly and returned from ESL Pro League Season 20 having lifted their third trophy of the year.
With the team once again regarded as the best in the world, we sat down with iM to discuss NAVI's time in Malta, their rivalry with Vitality, and the games he likes to play when he isn't competing.
You're in Copenhagen now, you were lifting a trophy in Malta just a few days ago, how are you feeling?
I'm feeling very good, what can I say?
What was it like to lift another trophy?
It felt good, it was exhausting because we played for six hours or more, but it was good to win the game even though we struggled.
It was a very hard game, and we didn't play our best, but it's a good sign that we can still win when we play bad.
Did Eternal Fire surprise you or was the game more a consequence of not being at your best?
They definitely surprised everyone with how they played. They beat Vitality, pushed us to our limits, but, we didn't play our best.
In terms of winning events, are you beginning to get used to the feeling or is that something you can't get used to?
To be honest, I don't think at all about winning the trophies. I like to go step-by-step and just play the games.
For example, we now have the Group Stage here at BLAST, then we'll have playoffs, semi-finals, maybe quarter-finals, and if we get to the grand final, then maybe I'll think about the trophy and winning it.
I like to keep it simple, if you think about the trophies you might just be disappointed.
Let's talk about the Group Stage, you start off against Falcons, how are you feeling about it?
They're in a rough spot, they lost to some weaker teams recently, but they can also surprise us. they have the players to do so, they're very experienced and know how to react.
They're the type of team that can raise their levels when playing against a good team, so who knows. We shouldn't underestimate them at all.
You played Vitality in the Cologne final and were defeated, if you meet again here, will you approach it differently?
I don't think we'll approach it differently, no. After every game we try to fix our mistakes, so I think we need to fix those mistakes we made when we played them. If we do that, it'll be good.
It'll probably be another banger, so I hope we have the final against them.
Will we see another 50-round Mirage game?
Let's hope not [laughs], but if it's 50 rounds again, I hope we win this time.
It's the same as with Eternal Fire, if we're going to play that much we need to at least win the game.
A lot of players are critical of CS2 but it has been very successful for you, has that made you have a different opinion on the game?
In terms of the game itself, it's pretty ok. It's not CS:GO, but they're going to do updates to make it better.
For a guy like me who likes to play a lot of shit games, it's fine the way it is. I'd love some updates that make it smoother because any bug or anytime you die behind a wall is tilting, but we have to get over it. It's not just us it happens to, it happens to everyone who plays the game.
What games do you play outside of CS?
A lot of games, from DOTA, FIFA, Among Us, Pummel Party, anything.
What's your favourite for relaxing?
I go through phases, I even had one where I played a lot of World of Tanks, but then it was FIFA, and then DOTA 2. Right now, I'm playing that, but there's a new FIFA so I may switch.
Have you given Deadlock a go?
No, I don't even want to. For me, it's like Fortnite combined with DOTA, and I don't like Fortnite at all, so if I want to play DOTA, then I already have it.
BLAST ApS., Hauser Plads 1, 3., 1127 Copenhagen