Team Liquid not looking for a new IGL despite nitr0’s retirement

According to different reports published in recent days, Team Liquid has no plans to sign a new IGL despite the announcement of the imminent retirement of Nicholas “nitr0” Cannella.

Nitr0 is one of the emblematic players of the North American organization, as he has played in the team’s starting lineup since 2015. However, the player has decided to hang up the mouse and keyboard after Team Liquid participates in IEM Dallas 2023.

This becomes the second time nitr0 announces his retirement from the competitive CS:GO scene. Recall that in 2020 the 27-year-old American IGL also decided to take a two-year break from the game.

Reports claim that Team Liquid is not looking for an IGL to replace nitr0

According to a report from Dust.us, one of HLTV’s web portals, Team Liquid, would not be looking for an IGL to replace nitr0 in the team. However, this option is not entirely out of the question, as if there is a top-tier IGL available in this player break period, the team will not hesitate to sign him.

Liquid not prioritizing IGLs in hunt for nitr0’s replacementhttps://t.co/uwTOHxoxIF

— Dust2.us (@dust2us) June 12, 2023

But many may wonder why Team Liquid makes this decision, and the answer is really simple. The organization, the Head Coach, and players are confident that Mareks “YEKINDAR” Gaļinskis can be the team’s leader.

The young promise of the team, YEKINDAR, played in the Paris Major with the team when nitr0 was absent due to the birth of his child. As a result, the 23-year-old Latvian player led Team Liquid to finish within the TOP 8 of the Major. In addition, it is worth remembering that Team Liquid started the Paris Major with a 0-2 record in the Challengers Stage and then beat their rivals in the Legends Stage.

YEKINDAR has all the makings to lead this project

No doubt keeping YEKINDAR in the lineup as IGL makes all the sense and reason in the world. Since his arrival at Team Liquid in 2022 as a backup, the player has more than proven his talent and experience in the game, despite being one of the youngest players in the squad.

Likewise, right now, it will have to be seen how his new role as a full-time IGL will affect his performance. In addition, the player will have to sacrifice some of his aggressiveness and talent as an entry fragger to dedicate himself to his team’s management and decision-making.

By this, we mean that if Team Liquid finally chooses not to sign an IGL to replace nitr0 and YEKINDAR fills this role, it is likely that the organization will sign a new top fragger. Right now, several players are exploring their options and it is likely that in the coming days we will have more, as many want a change of scenery that will begin the transition to CS2.

One of the options Team Liquid has is Shahar “flameZ” Shushan, a very aggressive and talented riffler who currently belongs to OG. However, the player is exploring his options to find a new home, and there is no doubt that Team Liquid could be ideal for him.

Header: Team Liquid