Following NAVI’s recent title win, analysts Duncan “Thorin” Shields and Jacob “Pimp” Winneche offered a measured take on their current level in Counter-Points, stressing that one strong tournament does not automatically make them a top contender again. While acknowledging the team’s deserved victory, they urged fans to look beyond the result and consider NAVI’s broader form over recent months.
Pimp: one title doesn’t erase previous issues
Pimp made it clear that he does not share the general hype surrounding NAVI. In his view, winning Pro League does not rewrite what the team has shown before.
There’s absolutely no way that Na’Vi with one tournament at Pro League is all of a sudden rewriting what’s been happening the last six months.
He noted that NAVI played well, beat every opponent in front of them, and deserve credit. But at the same time, it hasn’t fundamentally changed how he evaluates the team.
It didn’t really change my perception of Na’Vi.
According to Pimp, NAVI were favorites in their key playoff matches and simply did what a strong team is expected to do. That is why he is not ready to place them in the same tier as Spirit, MOUZ, or Falcons just yet:
I wouldn’t put them in the same category as Spirit, MOUZ, Falcons for that matter just yet.
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Thorin: NAVI took their chance, but the hype should be cooled down
Thorin shared a similar perspective. While he acknowledged NAVI’s performance, he urged fans to stay realistic. In his opinion, NAVI benefited from a more favorable bracket than expected due to other top teams underperforming.
We’re going to bring the temperature down a little bit on Na’Vi.
At the same time, he gave NAVI full credit for capitalizing on the opportunity. Where other favorites failed, NAVI delivered.
The fair play about Na’Vi is this. They did actually do what is necessary to do and they successfully convincingly won all these games.
In other words, the issue is not whether NAVI deserved the trophy — they did. The question is whether this win alone proves they are back at the very top.
B1ad3 knew NAVI had to win this event
One of the most revealing points came from Pimp, who shared insight from a conversation with NAVI’s coach, Andrey “B1ad3” Gorodenskiy. According to him, the team fully understood the situation once they saw the bracket.
As soon as he saw the bracket, the entire team sat down and they agreed we have to win this, like no excuse.
For Pimp, this showed maturity. NAVI didn’t hide behind clichés — they recognized the opportunity and delivered when it mattered.
The key issue remains: firepower against top teams
Despite the positive aspects, both analysts agreed that NAVI’s main limitation has not disappeared. The biggest concern remains their firepower when facing elite teams. Thorin pointed out that NAVI’s floor is actually very strong — the team is structured, disciplined, and rarely collapses.
I do think the floor of the team’s really good.
However, that alone may not be enough against teams like Vitality or other top-tier contenders.
If they really do play Vitality or some massive team in a big BO5 final, there’s a lot of teams I do think would still beat them.
Pimp echoed that sentiment, noting that compared to teams like Spirit, Falcons, or Vitality, NAVI still lack a bit of raw firepower.
makazze showed promise, but consistency is key
Both analysts also highlighted makazze’s performance as a major positive. However, they cautioned against overreacting to one standout tournament.
Just give me like 80% of that or 90% of that regularly every two, three tournaments — now we can talk.
The key question is whether he can maintain that level. If he does, NAVI’s firepower issue could be significantly reduced. For now, though, it remains a promising sign rather than a definitive solution.
Wonderful, map pool improvements, and structure
Thorin also pointed out a few other encouraging aspects. He suggested that Wonderful may have delivered one of the best performances of his career in the final.
That might have been the best game I’ve ever seen Wonderful play.
Additionally, NAVI showed improvement on Mirage — previously a weak map — and looked more comfortable on Anubis. Still, both analysts stressed that these improvements need to be proven over time.
At the same time, both Thorin and Pimp praised NAVI’s structure, particularly the work of B1ad3 and his synergy with Aleksi “AleksiB” Virolainen. Pimp even described B1ad3 as one of the most valuable coaches in the game, while Thorin highlighted NAVI’s exceptional use of timeouts and tactical adjustments.
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Not a reason to panic — but not a reason to crown them either
Despite the critical tone, the overall conclusion was cautiously positive. Neither Thorin nor Pimp dismissed NAVI’s victory. On the contrary, they acknowledged that the team did exactly what was required and deserved the title. However, their shared conclusion is clear: NAVI are once again a team worth taking seriously, but they have not yet proven that they can consistently compete with the very best.
One trophy has put NAVI back into the conversation. Now they need to confirm it at upcoming events — only then will it become clear whether this was the beginning of a real resurgence or just a well-timed peak.
