After a nearly 20-year-long career competing in esports, Natus Vincere Natus Vincere Europe Rank #13 Shao Andrey Kiprsky alexiiik Alex Hawlasek Ruxic Uğur Güç hiro Emirhan Kat 's IGL Kyrylo "ANGE1" Karasov has decided to retire from play. He looks to remain in the Valorant scene as he makes the transition to the coaching role for next season.

ANGE1's 15 year long tenure in Counter Strike primed him as one of the most experienced faces to join the Valorant scene in 2020. He quickly rose to prevalence with FunPlus Phoenix FunPlus Phoenix Inactive SUYGETSU Dmitry Ilyushin Zyppan Pontus Eek ANGE1 Kyrylo Karasov Shao Andrey Kiprsky ardiis Ardis Svarenieks , but was never able to reach the top of EMEA, missing every international event in 2021. That all changed in 2022, when ANGE1 led FPX through their historic lower bracket run in Masters Copenhagen to win his first VCT trophy.

ANGE1 with the Masters Copenhagen trophy ANGE1 is the oldest player to win an international event, claiming his trophy at age 32.

Heading into the partnership leagues in 2023, ANGE1 stuck with the core of FPX as they migrated to NAVI. Early on, they maintained their status as a top team in EMEA, but struggled to make an impact on the international stage. Even reuniting the full masters-winning team in 2024, their days of glory had passed, as they failed to qualify to any international events in the year.

In 2025, ANGE1 was given a fresh crop of young talent to foster, as NAVI underwent a rebuild. They struggled early in the year, but were strong contenders by the end of the season. In the Stage 2 playoffs, they made their deepest run of the year, reaching the top four by upsetting Team Heretics Team Heretics Europe Rank #2 MiniBoo Dominykas Lukaševičius Wo0t Mert Alkan RieNs Enes Ecirli benjyfishy Benjamin David Fish Boo Ričardas Lukaševičius . Unfortunately, their run was stopped by GIANTX GIANTX Europe Rank #9 Cloud Kirill Nehozhin grubinho Grzegorz Ryczko westside Miłosz Duda Flickless Karel Maeckelbergh ara Hanceriuc Eduard-George , who double eliminated them on their own road to Champions.

Reflecting on the past two years, ANGE1 stated that “it takes too much focus and energy for me to compete on the highest level”. Still confident in his mind for the game however, he will continue as a coach next season.

Natus Vincere Natus Vincere Europe Rank #13 Shao Andrey Kiprsky alexiiik Alex Hawlasek Ruxic Uğur Güç hiro Emirhan Kat is now:

  • Andrey "Shao" Kiprsky
  • Alex "alexiiik" Hawlasek
  • Uğur "Ruxic" Güç
  • Emirhan "hiro" Kat
  • Vincent "Happy" Schopenhauer (Head coach)
  • Dmytro "chippy" Bychenko (Assistant coach)
  • Zuzanna "Zuzanna" Hejduk-Mostowy (Performance coach)
  • Urszula "Xirreth" Klimczak (Performance coach)