In a dramatic showdown at the Shanghai Major, HEROIC toppled reigning champions Natus Vincere (NAVI) in a high-stakes series. Led by Damjan "kyxsan" Stoilkovski, HEROIC secured a 2-1 victory that exposed cracks in NAVI’s once-dominant form.
The upset sends the defending Major winners home early, while HEROIC advances with momentum on their side.
NAVI is out of the Shanghai Major!
The series began emphatically for HEROIC as they dominated Mirage, their map pick, with a resounding 13-3 victory. NAVI struggled to find their footing, overwhelmed by HEROIC’s pinpoint executions.
LOCKED THE FUCK IN pic.twitter.com/F0gkaU6B9h
— HEROIC (@heroicgg) December 8, 2024
However, NAVI quickly regrouped on Nuke, where Ihor "w0nderful" Zhdanov delivered an exceptional performance. His stellar showing fueled NAVI to a commanding 13-5 victory, leveling the series and setting the stage for a dramatic decider on Ancient.
when the hunter becomes the prey https://t.co/UjsH1PHKNW#navination #CS2 #ShanghaiMajor2024 pic.twitter.com/cWdC86GPlS
— NAVI (@natusvincere) December 8, 2024
Ancient proved to be a fitting battleground for the two teams. The game was neck-and-neck, tied at 9-9, before HEROIC surged ahead with four consecutive rounds to clinch a 13-9 victory, sealing the reigning champions' fate.
WE FUCKING DID IT pic.twitter.com/SGHJieBp3m
— HEROIC (@heroicgg) December 8, 2024
For NAVI, this marks a second consecutive disappointment following their last-place finish at the BLAST World Final. Initially considered an anomaly, their struggles in Shanghai suggest deeper issues. Day one set the tone for their campaign with a narrow 13-11 loss to MIBR, and their troubles compounded as they suffered a brutal 13-2 loss to Spirit. Copenhagen Major MVP Justinas "jL" Lekavicius struggled throughout the event, finishing with a 0.90 rating and facing questions about his form.
a heartbreaking way to end the season, lost ourselves somewhere along the way to the major and couldn't pick ourselves back up.Also disappointed the way I ended the year, couldn't find the reasons as to why I have such lows from time to time. I would spiral down a big rabbit...
— NAVI jL (@jLcsgo_) December 8, 2024
In a candid reflection, jL took to Twitter/X to address his mental challenges, admitting, "I would spiral down a big rabbit hole of negative thoughts and lose all confidence in my abilities. Without fixing this problem, there is no bright future for me in a competitive environment."
Tough defeat, but all the painful feelings are already gone. It was an amazing year for NAVI CS2, with its own mostly ups & downs. 1 PGL Major trophy, EWC, EPLS20, IEM Rio, 6 Grand Finals streak. It was fun, exhausting and sometimes might cause a heart attack, but we're alive &... pic.twitter.com/EZJqD5pH2U
— NAVI (@natusvincere) December 8, 2024
NAVI's early exit leaves fans and analysts pondering whether this marks the end of an era or a temporary stumble for one of the most celebrated teams in the early CS2 history.
Do you think NAVI can bounce back in 2025 or do they need to make roster changes?