Nicholas “nitr0” Cannella, the iconic figure in North American esports, is poised for a thrilling return to VALORANT with M80, following his retirement from Counter-Strike.
Former Team Liquid In-game leader Nicholas “nitr0” Cannella is set to make his comeback to the VALORANT scene by joining the up-and-coming team, M80. This groundbreaking move, reported by VALORANT journalist Max Katz, marks M80’s first player signing after an impressive debut season in the tier two VALORANT circuit, despite narrowly missing out on a franchising opportunity to The Guard.
Nitr0’s journey in the esports world has been nothing short of legendary. He first made waves with Team Liquid in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) from 2016 to 2019, where he achieved remarkable success, including five major titles, notably the Intel Extreme Masters XIV in Chicago in 2019.
Sources: M80 are set to re-sign koalanoob, zander, and nism0 to its VALORANT roster.
They are also set to add former 100T player and Liquid IGL, nitr0 to its roster.
Their 5th is undecided at the moment.#VCT
— Max Katz (@purest) September 14, 2023
Nitr0’s legacy in FPS title
In 2020, nitr0 ventured into VALORANT, initially playing as a smokes player for 100 Thieves. His adaptability shone when he switched to duel with Jett in a pivotal match against the formidable cNed during Masters Berlin in 2021, sparking a memorable comeback. During his stint with 100 Thieves, he tasted victory in North America First Strike and achieved a top-four finish at the 2021 Masters Berlin.
However, the 100 Thieves roster disbanded after failing to qualify for the 2021 Valorant Champions, prompting nitr0’s return to CS:GO and his role as an in-game leader for Team Liquid. Known by the moniker “Captain America” due to his illustrious achievements, nitr0 continued to excel in CS:GO, securing a second-place finish with Team Liquid at the BLAST Premier World Final at the end of the 2022 CS:GO season.
Following an early exit from IEM Dallas in 2023, he contemplated his future while streaming. Now, with the recent report of his return to esports, nitr0 seems poised for another thrilling chapter in his career. M80, a team that has proven its mettle, is eagerly embracing Captain America into its fold, with the aim of climbing to the pinnacle of tier two VALORANT and securing championship titles.
M80 will reportedly retain existing players
According to Valorant reporter Max Katz, M80 is not only signing nitr0 but also welcoming GianFranco “koalanoob” Potestio, Marc-Andre “NiSMO” Tayar, and Alexander “Zander” Dituri to their ranks. The identity of their fifth member remains a mystery.
If nitr0 finalizes his move to M80, he will be competing in the North American Challengers circuit, striving for a coveted Americas Ascension spot. M80’s previous in-game leader, Mouhamed “johnqt” Ouarid, recently joined Sentinels, creating a vacancy that nitr0 is reportedly set to fill. The team, however, has yet to announce their fifth member, and the future of M80’s head coach, Daniel “eeiu” Vucenovic, and coach Vincent “Happy” Schopenhauer, remains uncertain.
Header: Riot Games
