Aleksib, the in-game leader of CS:GO, has taken a lot of heat from the game’s fanbase in recent years. But his new teammate jL has defended him, saying it’s unjustified. On July 31, Natus Vincere defeated OG under the direction of the Finnish IGL. jL spent some time after the game to respond to Aleksib’s detractors. He ordered them to f— off and that the entire team, not just the IGL, should take responsibility for losses.
“Screw Aleksib haters. Every single time [I] go to HLTV, [I see] ‘Aleksib is the problem, Aleksib is losing the game.’ No, it doesn’t happen like that. The team is responsible for the losses and the wins, it’s not just the in-game leader,” jL said.
The 23-year-old player admitted the IGL might have more problems to solve due to their role in the team, but in the end, the results of a team are the squad’s burden and responsibility, not just an issue for one player: “If we lose, it’s our fault.”
We can’t deny we feel as if jL’s comments were needed. Aleksib has been a part of a few international rosters for the past few years, including G2 Esports and Ninjas in Pyjamas. Each of these rosters failed to meet their expectations, though it felt like the community put all the blame on the Finnish player, forgetting that essentially CS:GO is a team game.
Aleksib is one of three new NAVI additions alongside jL and iM. The team had their first test at BLAST Premier Fall Groups 2023, where they managed to qualify for Fall Finals. So far, they played two matches at IEM Cologne 2023, overcoming OG and losing to MOUZ. They will play FaZe Clan for a spot in the group B lower bracket final on Aug. 1.