Aleksib: NAVI’s path to a truly deserved trophy still runs through Vitality

Aleksib: NAVI’s path to a truly deserved trophy still runs through Vitality

Natus Vincere captain Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen believes his team is close enough to compete for every remaining title of the season, but he also made it clear that NAVI’s biggest test is still the same one facing the entire Counter-Strike scene: Vitality.

Speaking to HLTV after NAVI’s 2-0 win over FaZe in the Group B upper bracket semi-final at BLAST Rivals 2026 Season 1, Aleksib said the team feels capable of reaching grand finals consistently. NAVI entered the event as the No. 2 team in both the HLTV and VRS rankings, and their opening win in Fort Worth reinforced the idea that they remain one of the main contenders behind Vitality. 

The victory over FaZe was not completely straightforward. NAVI controlled Anubis and Ancient well enough to close the series, but Aleksib admitted that the second map became tense near the end. He said NAVI had prepared for FaZe’s new structure, including Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken’s role as in-game leader, by studying previous positions and trying to predict how the team would adapt after changes. According to Aleksib, FaZe still tested NAVI on Ancient, but once NAVI stabilized their economy and CT side, they took back control. 

However, the main focus of the interview was not FaZe. It was Vitality. Aleksib said NAVI believe they can challenge almost any team, but acknowledged they are still “a step behind” Vitality. He added that lifting a trophy without beating Vitality would not feel fully deserved “in a way,” because Vitality are currently the benchmark everyone has to overcome. 

That context matters. Vitality arrived at BLAST Rivals shortly after winning IEM Rio 2026, where they swept Spirit 3-0 in the grand final, claimed their fourth title of the season, and became the first team to win two ESL Grand Slams. HLTV also reported that Vitality earned the $1 million Grand Slam prize and became the first organization to win more than one Grand Slam, strengthening their claim as the dominant team of the current era. 

Still, Aleksib pointed out that Vitality are not untouchable. Falcons ended Vitality’s 18-match winning streak at IEM Rio with a 2-1 win in the Group A upper bracket final, forcing Vitality into a harder road through the event. At BLAST Rivals, Vitality also had a shaky start against FUT, needing three maps to survive a series in which FUT played without lauNX and used coach coolio as a stand-in. FUT even broke Vitality’s 17-game winning streak on Dust2. 

For Aleksib, those matches are proof that NAVI must keep studying both their own mistakes and the ways other teams manage to put pressure on Vitality. He said NAVI have not won a map against Vitality in a while, but insisted that the team cannot lose hope. Instead, he framed any future meeting with Vitality as the highest level of Counter-Strike and the kind of match his players should be excited to play. 

NAVI’s campaign in Fort Worth continued strongly after the interview. They later beat GamerLegion 2-0 in the Group B upper bracket final, winning Mirage 13-10 and Ancient 13-4 to secure direct qualification for the playoff semi-finals.Vitality also advanced directly to the semi-finals after beating G2 in their seeding match, leaving open the possibility of the NAVI-Vitality grand final that Aleksib said would make a trophy feel truly earned. 

Another important part of NAVI’s development is Drin “makazze” Shaqiri. Aleksib praised the 19-year-old rookie’s progress, saying he has shown confidence in high-pressure matches and brought a fearless attitude to the team. The captain described makazze as hardworking and said his ability to perform on stage gives NAVI additional confidence. 

Aleksib’s message was ambitious but measured. NAVI believe they can fight for every final, and their recent results support that confidence. But as long as Vitality remain the team winning Grand Slams, extending deep tournament runs, and setting the standard for elite Counter-Strike, NAVI’s ultimate challenge is clear. To become No. 1, they do not simply need another trophy. They need to beat the team that currently defines what No. 1 means.