By Sagar V. Mankar 
On Sunday, October 13, the Ukrainian esports team Natus Vincere (NAVI) secured a 3-1 victory over the German team MOUZ in the Counter-Strike 2 tournament, IEM Rio 2024.
This win not only earned them $100,000 but also guaranteed them a spot in one of the most prestigious events of next year—IEM Katowice 2025.
The tournament, held at Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, featured 16 teams competing for a $250,000 prize pool.
IEM Rio 2024 Final Unfold
The final was played in a best-of-five format, with NAVI coming out on top.
NAVI’s lineup is composed of players from various countries, including Ukraine, Lithuania, Romania, and Finland. Their roster includes Valerii “b1t” Vakhovskyi (Ukraine), Justinas “jL” Lekavičius (Lithuania), Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen (Finland), Mihai “iM” Ivan (Romania), and Ihor “w0nderful” Zhdanov (Ukraine), with Andrii “B1ad3” Horodenskyi (Ukraine) serving as coach.
The match kicked off on Inferno, MOUZ’s chosen map. NAVI had a rough start, losing the first half, but after switching sides, they managed a strong comeback, winning the game 13-11.
The momentum shifted in NAVI’s favor as they moved on to Dust2, their map choice. NAVI dominated this round, allowing MOUZ only two rounds and securing a 13-2 win.
Next was Mirage, a closely contested map. MOUZ took an early lead, and despite NAVI fighting hard, they struggled at key moments. Their sniper, Ihor “w0nderful” Zhdanov, missed some crucial shots, and MOUZ managed to take the map, adding pressure on NAVI.
The decisive moment came on the 4th map, Ancient, where MOUZ once again started strong, leading 10-2. However, NAVI made a remarkable comeback, led by Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen, and clutch performances from iM and “w0nderful.” NAVI turned the game around, winning 13-11 and lifting the IEM Rio trophy.
Standout Players in NAVI’s Victory
Two NAVI players received special recognition for their performances:
- Justinas “jL” Lekavicius – Named MVP of the match by ESL
- Mihai “iM” Ivan – Awarded a medal from HLTV for his outstanding 1.28 rating and 59 kills in the four-map final series
Ivan’s performance was particularly noteworthy, silencing critics who had questioned his place on the team. Following the victory, he took to X/Twitter, declaring, “Won IEM Rio and I can only say…f**k you haters.”
Records Breaking Year for NAVI
This marks NAVI’s fourth major win of 2024, adding to their victories at the PGL CS2 Major Copenhagen, Esports World Cup, and ESL Pro League Season 20.
Additionally, this marks their sixth consecutive final, putting them on track to break their own record of seven straight finals set in 2021. They are also chasing FaZe Clan’s record of eight consecutive finals from 2023-24.
Their strong performance at IEM Rio positions them as favorites for the upcoming Shanghai Major.
However, an interesting pattern continues for NAVI, as they have alternated between winning and losing finals recently. For instance, they lost the BLAST Premier Fall Final in Denmark last month.
Viewership?
According to esports data platform Esports Charts, IEM Rio 2024 saw a significant increase in viewership compared to the previous year:
- Peak viewership: 709,317 (approximately 150,000 more than 2023)
- Average viewership: 289,111 (nearly 40,000 higher than 2023)
- Total watch time: 49 hours and 50 minutes
NAVI and MOUZ were the most-watched teams, with 5.8 million and 5.6 million hours watched, respectively.
For more information, visit the official IEM website. And remember to subscribe to Gaming Foodle for more news!