Natus Vincere (NAVI) has cemented its status as a powerhouse in the esports world once again. Their remarkable journey this year includes winning the Copenhagen Major, securing second place at the BLAST Premier Spring Final, and now, clinching the prestigious Esports World Cup title despite facing formidable opponents.
Nine months ago, s1mple, one of NAVI’s star players, benched himself and was replaced by w0nderful. This change has proven beneficial as w0nderful has significantly contributed to NAVI’s success in several major events. While the entire team performed admirably, b1t stood out as the best player at the Esports World Cup, earning the MVP award for his exceptional performances.
NAVI’s Path to Victory
NAVI’s journey at the Esports World Cup began with a challenging match against FURIA. The first map ended with a narrow 13-11 victory, thanks largely to b1t’s outstanding performance. The second map saw NAVI dominate the first half 12-0, ultimately winning 13-5 and advancing to the playoffs.
In the quarterfinals, NAVI faced FaZe Clan. Both maps were tough, with scores of 13-10 on Mirage and 16-12 on Nuke, but NAVI emerged victorious with b1t leading the charge. The semifinals against MOUZ started poorly, with NAVI losing their chosen map, Dust II, 13-1. However, they bounced back on Nuke and Mirage, winning 13-8 and 13-5 respectively, thanks to w0nderful’s incredible performance.
The Grand Finale Against G2
The grand finals pitted NAVI against G2, a team that had defeated The MongolZ, Team Spirit, and Virtus.pro to reach this stage. The first map, Ancient, was closely contested, ending 16-14 in favor of G2. However, NAVI rallied on Nuke and Inferno, winning 13-6 and 13-5, effectively neutralizing G2’s star players NiKo and m0NESY. All NAVI players posted positive KD ratios in the grand finals, with b1t once again proving to be the standout performer.
A Bright Future Ahead
With this victory, NAVI secured a $400,000 prize and solidified their reputation as one of the top teams of 2024. Currently ranked 5th in the world, NAVI is expected to climb higher in the global rankings. They are well on their way to reclaiming the number one spot, a position they have held for extended periods in the past.
