“Na`Vi’s Struggle in Finals: A Story of Second Place”
Eo “soO” Yoon Su, the four-time consecutive runner-up of the GSL, once said, “I’d rather lose than get second.”
On May 22, 2016, Na`Vi faced a surprising upset in the grand finals of the StarLadder i-League Invitational against Polish rivals Virtus.Pro. Despite struggling throughout the year and constantly swapping roles and leaders, Virtus.Pro managed to defeat Na`Vi and retain their status as a top ten team.
In previous matchups, Na`Vi and Virtus.Pro had played close sets, but this final had the biggest disparity in skill and results in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive history. Na`Vi had consistently performed well and reached the finals, while Virtus.Pro struggled to survive past the round of eight in major tournaments.
The finals seemed to be an easy victory for Na`Vi, but Virtus.Pro surprised everyone. They played exceptionally well, and Na`Vi could not keep up. Despite winning the pistol on T-side of cobble, Na`Vi failed to close it out and lost the finals.
“Again again and again… Fuck this,” said Denis “seized” Kostin, expressing his frustration with Na`Vi’s consistent failures in finals.
Throughout the end of 2015 to 2016, Na`Vi reached nine grand finals but only managed to win three. They faced close matchups, but their inability to secure victory in crucial moments haunted them. Losing against better teams, making comeback attempts that fell short, and faltering as clear favorites in finals became a pattern for Na`Vi.
Na`Vi’s struggle in finals is not unique in CS:GO or esports. Teams like Astralis and VeryGames also faced similar issues in the past. However, Na`Vi’s situation resembles that of Yellow, Brood War’s first great Zerg player. Yellow consistently placed second in major tournaments, becoming known as the perpetual runner-up.
The players of Na`Vi find themselves in a similar situation. While they have won some big events, they face a mental barrier when it comes to finals. The pressure to win becomes overwhelming, affecting their performance in critical moments.
Changing this mindset is a difficult task. Na`Vi must overcome their mental challenges to become the best team in the world. It requires a shift in perspective, letting go of the obsession with winning and focusing on performance. The hardest aspect of being a player is changing oneself, both in play style and mental character.
Na`Vi’s last battle is to conquer their finals curse. If they can break through and achieve victory, they have the potential to become the strongest team in the world. They must continue to challenge themselves in finals, pushing their boundaries until they succeed. Failure here would cement their legacy as constant second-place finishers, while success would elevate them to the top.