NAVI’s Aleksib: “It feels so gut-wrenching to be in this situation in the middle of the season”

NAVI’s Aleksib: “It feels so gut-wrenching to be in this situation in the middle of the season”

Article:

NAVI’s in-game leader, Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen, candidly described the turmoil facing his team following their abrupt elimination from the Esports World Cup 2025 (EWC). This comes in the wake of disappointing showings in the online phase of BLAST Bounty Season 2 and a less-than-ideal introduction of newcomer makazze. 

Despite a promising semi-final run at IEM Cologne with makazze, NAVI crumbled early at EWC, where defending champions lost in their opening single-elimination match against 3DMAX. Aleksib admitted, “It’s hard to think about winning after going out like this.” 

Still, the Finn pointed to makazze—a newcomer—as a silver lining:

“I just feel disappointed that I couldn’t provide him more matches here at EWC… He played very good, I constantly heard him communicating… I’m really proud of that.” 

Reflecting on the loss, Aleksib continued:

“Overall just a very bad feeling… on Inferno T‑side when we were playing a solid half… but they ended up completely outplaying us. … On Nuke we clawed back as CT, but they won the most important rounds.” 

He also acknowledged the glaring opportunities NAVI squandered:

“We kind of threw the 5v3 on the anti‑eco… miscommunications… I lost the one‑on‑one after four very sharp kills. I just feel so sick to my stomach after that one.” 

Aleksib acknowledged the broader frustration:

“It feels so gut‑wrenching to be in this situation in the middle of the season… Trying to understand how we can gain the confidence to be the team that we should be… go back to the drawing board.” 

Yet, he clung to hope:

“With the same amount of work that we put in last year, we are still capable… we will probably have a bootcamp now to try and qualify for the London finals (BLAST Open).” 

Additional Context & Related Insights

• Major Win Reflections: Earlier in April 2024, after leading NAVI to a Major victory, Aleksib admitted he had faced widespread criticism and self-doubt in past team stints—but insisted he had made peace with the journey.

  “Everyone was saying that I was failing upwards and they were right.”

• Internal Team Tensions: In March 2025, a leaked TeamSpeak clip during NAVI’s ESL Pro League match caused some controversy. Frustrated mid-match, Aleksib blurted:

  “Can we fucking play one round without saying something after?”
  His teammate iM later described the footage being aired publicly as “full bullshit.”

Summary

Aleksib’s interview following NAVI’s EWC exit paints a picture of a team in distress—but still not devoid of hope. He expressed deep personal and collective disappointment, particularly in how crucial rounds slipped away. However, there’s acknowledgment of makazze’s strong performance, a willingness to reboot, and a plan for a bootcamp ahead of upcoming tournaments like the BLAST Open. These actions suggest NAVI isn’t giving up—just regrouping.