{"id":361182,"date":"2026-02-28T10:35:41","date_gmt":"2026-02-28T10:35:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/community.skin.club\/?p=361182"},"modified":"2026-02-28T10:35:41","modified_gmt":"2026-02-28T10:35:41","slug":"naf-returns-team-liquid-esl-pro-league","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/community.skin.club\/en\/news\/naf-returns-team-liquid-esl-pro-league","title":{"rendered":"Team Liquid back at full strength as NAF returns"},"content":{"rendered":"

Team Liquid have confirmed the return of NAF to their CS2 starting lineup. The organization shared a photo from its training facility in Utrecht, Netherlands, showing the Canadian veteran back with the team. This confirms that Liquid are once again operating at full strength.<\/p>\n

NAF returns after missing IEM Krak\u00f3w<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The 28-year-old sat out IEM Krak\u00f3w due to urgent family matters. His absence came at a difficult time for Liquid, who struggled to find consistency during the event. NAF has now returned and is expected to rejoin official matches immediately. His comeback comes as Liquid face mounting pressure in the Valve Regional Standings race.<\/p>\n\n

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read more<\/h3>\n
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Feb 28<\/div>\n News<\/a> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n

ESL Pro League and a crucial opening match<\/h3>\n

Liquid\u2019s next appearance will be at ESL Pro League Season 23, where the team will start from Stage 1. The opening phase features two online Swiss stages. Their first match is scheduled for Sunday against Passion UA. NAF\u2019s presence is vital for the lineup. He provides late-round stability, strong positioning, and reliable decision-making. Many analysts viewed his absence in Krak\u00f3w as a key factor behind Liquid\u2019s uneven performances.<\/p>\n

VRS pressure ahead of the Cologne Major cut-off<\/h3>\n

Liquid currently sit in a dangerous position in the VRS rankings. Projections show the team around 180 points outside the invite zone for IEM Cologne. Every match in Pro League now carries significant weight. Before the April 6 cut-off, Liquid will also compete at BLAST Open Rotterdam. That event is widely seen as Liquid\u2019s last realistic chance to close the gap. Without strong results, the team may need to rely on late open LAN events across Europe.<\/p>\n

Community reaction to NAF\u2019s return<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

NAF\u2019s return sparked immediate discussion across social media. Liquid\u2019s post captioned \u201clook who is back at the facility\u201d quickly gained traction among fans. Many joked about his famously relaxed sitting posture, referencing \u201cposture check\u201d memes. Others teased that he was reading comments or enjoying the attention. Despite the humor, the overall reaction remained positive. Fans welcomed him back with messages such as \u201cThe legend has returned\u201d and \u201cWe love the GOAT.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

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read more<\/h3>\n
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\n Prediction: 3DMAX vs paiN \u2014 ESL Pro League Season 23 Stage 1<\/a>\n \n
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Feb 28<\/div>\n News<\/a> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n

What comes next for Liquid<\/h3>\n

NAF\u2019s return does not guarantee instant success. However, it significantly improves Liquid\u2019s chances of staying alive in the Cologne Major race. With little room for error, the coming weeks will define Liquid\u2019s 2026 season. Whether this marks a true turnaround will be decided on the server.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Team Liquid have confirmed the return of NAF to their CS2 starting lineup. The organization shared a photo from its training facility in Utrecht, Netherlands, showing the Canadian veteran back with the team. This confirms that Liquid are once again operating at full strength. NAF returns after missing IEM Krak\u00f3w The 28-year-old sat out IEM […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":34,"featured_media":361222,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[512,473],"class_list":["post-361182","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-liquid","tag-naf"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nNAF Returns to Team Liquid Ahead of ESL Pro League Push<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"NAF has returned to Team Liquid\u2019s CS2 lineup as the team fights for crucial VRS points ahead of the IEM Cologne cut-off.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/community.skin.club\/en\/news\/naf-returns-team-liquid-esl-pro-league\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" 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