Xizt Returns To Ninjas in Pyjamas As Coach

Legendary Counter-Strike player Richard “Xizt” Landström, who made a name for himself playing for Ninjas in Pyjamas, will once again represent the jersey as the team’s new coach. Previously, Xizt coached Heroic into a title-winning team. 

Xizt is known for being a member of the legendary Ninjas in Pyjamas squad that dominated the early years of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. He played alongside other renowned names such as Christopher “GeT_RiGhT” Alesund, Adam “friberg” Friberg, and Patrik “f0rest” Lindberg, lifting the trophy at ESL One Cologne 2014.

After retiring from professional play, Xizt seeked new opportunities as a Counter-Strike coach. Having experience as an in-game leader during his active years, the 33-year-old began his coaching career in Team Heroic, working with Casper “cadiaN” Møller. 

With his expertise, Landström grew Heroic from a Tier 2 team into a title contender. Heroic reached HLTV’s #1 ranking numerous times and was contesting in the top five teams for a very long period.

Following the exit of cadiaN from Heroic, Xizt also departed from the organization. After three months of inactivity in the scene, Ninjas in Pyjamas announced the appointment of Xizt as the team’s new head coach. 

Soon the hunt will begin 🥷 pic.twitter.com/Jqt5BttL3l

— NIP CS (@NIPCS) March 8, 2024

On the official Ninjas in Pyjamas blog, Xizt shared a few words on his reentrance to the team:

“Over the last few years, it hurt to see NIP CS struggling, even when sitting on the rival side. It feels great to be back and working with Björn and Troels again. I’m ready to set the foundation for a new era and pour my heart into bringing us back.”

The Ninjas in Pyjamas roster has been in shambles for the past year, finding little to no success. The organization underwent numerous roster changes and could not settle on a set roster. 

Recently, after failing to qualify for the Copenhagen Major, NiP benched Kristian “k0nfig” Wienecke, Patrick “es3tag” Hansen, Danyyl “headtr1ck” Valitov, along with coaching staff Daniel “djL” Narancic and Thomas “haste” Dyrensborg.

In an attempt to rebuild the roster, the management of the Ninjas in Pyjamas sought help from a familiar face who had helped the organization lift trophies in the past. Xizt will play a crucial role in rebuilding the new NiP roster, which currently only has two players. 

The new coach will reconcile with his former teammate, Fredrik “REZ” Sterner, whom he played with during his professional career in NiP. REZ has stayed with the team since joining in 2017, while Xizt departed in 2018. 

The other remaining member of the team, in-game leader Alejandro “alex” Masanet, will work closely with Xizt in restructuring a new roster and plan for the remainder of 2024. The team will have a lot of work cut out for them, as the Ninjas in Pyjamas team is nowhere near their glory days.

Header: Ninjas in Pyjamas Blog