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23.05.202515 min read

The MongolZ vs NAVI: Who’s the Real CS2 Powerhouse in 2025?

If someone had told me a couple of years ago that The MongolZ, a young Mongolian CS2 team, would rise to a level where they’d be mentioned alongside titans like NAVI, I would’ve laughed. And yet, this is now a real scenario on the CS2 scene of 2025. One team represents the new wave of Asian esports, while the other is a symbol of the Ukrainian CS scene and one of the most iconic brands in Counter-Strike 2 history. The MongolZ world rank is currently just one spot below NAVI’s, which says a lot about how far they’ve come. This is a clash of two eras, two approaches, two philosophies — and the interest in their potential matchup is only growing.

In this piece, I’ll share a brief history of both teams, compare their playstyles, current form, and key players, and try to understand who’s truly stronger on the international Tier 1 stage. The topic of The MongolZ vs NAVI has become one of the most relevant discussions in the CS2 community this year — and for good reason. And yes — a little disclaimer up front: don’t throw stones — some things may be subjective!

From Ulaanbaatar to Kyiv: Two Very Different Roads to CS2

When I first started following The MongolZ and NAVI within the context of Counter-Strike 2, it became clear — these are two completely different stories, and that’s exactly where their strength lies. One path leads from Mongolia, where ten years ago, only a few enthusiasts even knew about professional esports. The other — from Ukraine, a country that has been on the frontlines since the CS 1.6 era.

Different starting points, different experiences, different budgets and scenes — yet by 2024–2025, both teams had reached the top of the Valve rankings and made it to the Tier-1 level in CS2. And that got me thinking — how exactly did they get there?

The MongolZ: Rise From the East

I clearly remember when the name The MongolZ first appeared on my radar — it was 2013, when the team had just started playing CS:GO. Back then, the Mongolian scene felt distant and random. But they didn’t give up: local tournaments, regional qualifiers — and by 2016, a loud victory over Renegades at IEM Taipei. At that time, the team’s leader was Machinegun, who became the first Mongolian player signed by an international organization. They were a team worth watching — but by 2022, things had gone quiet.

Then came April 2023. The former IHC Esports roster brought back the old name, revived The MongolZ tag — and something entirely new began. By 2024, they had already won MESA Nomadic Masters, made it to the Elimination Stage at the PGL CS2 Major Copenhagen, claimed the YaLLa Compass trophy, and even overtook NAVI in the Valve rankings. As of now, the CS2 MongolZ rank sits at an impressive 7th place — something unthinkable just a year ago. Their style? Brutal, fast, risky, full of character. And yes, this is no longer just “a team from Asia” — this is a force to be reckoned with on the international CS2 scene. I don’t just see growth — I see a whole movement that you can’t stop watching.

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NAVI: Legends and a Rebuild

I knew about NAVI long before I even realized they played CS in Mongolia. This is the team an entire generation grew up with — myself included. They were founded in 2009, and just a year later, they won everything there was to win: IEM, ESWC, WCG. Back then, it was a major moment, and people truly started believing in Ukrainian esports. Later, in the CS:GO era, things got even stronger with the arrival of s1mple — that’s when the NAVI team became a global machine. Their undefeated championship run at PGL Major Stockholm 2021 is now part of history.

When CS2 was released, I was worried: could they adapt? But they didn’t just adapt — they thrived. A major win in Copenhagen, strong performances at BLAST Premier, Esports World Cup, ESL Pro League, the HLTV Team of the Year title — they proved they know how to evolve. After s1mple left in 2025, a rebuild began: under B1ad3’s guidance, NAVI formed a new core — Aleksib, w0nderful, jL, b1t. This is a different NAVI, but the spirit is still the same. And yes, this is still that very flagship carrying the Ukrainian CS2 scene on the global stage. Not just one season, not just one Major — but an entire era.

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Who Has the Stronger Lineup in CS2 2025

When I compare teams, I always start with the roster. Not just who puts up the most frags, but who’s responsible for what, how the roles complement each other, who carries the mental core, who pushes, who clutches, who stays consistent when everything goes to hell. In 2025, with the intense competition in Counter-Strike 2, you simply can’t survive without the right balance, especially when you’re fighting with the top dogs. And NAVI and The MongolZ are exactly those kinds of teams.

NAVI CS2 Roster (2025)

NAVI players in CS2 bring together a calculated mix of experience and firepower. Behind them are majors, trophies, HLTV rankings, and tons of pressure. But they’ve still got energy and ambition. These aren’t just legends — they’re still warriors:

Aleksib — captain, IGL. The one who leads. Tactically — almost flawless. Sure, his aim in 2025 hasn’t been great, but when the team needs to be carried through structure — he delivers. He proved that at PGL Major Copenhagen 2024.
w0nderful — a sniper from God. I genuinely enjoy watching him play AWP — precise, calm, like a Swiss watch. At IEM Katowice and ESL Pro League, he clutched round after round. One of the best AWPers in CS2 right now, no doubt.
jL — a versatile rifler and the MVP of the Copenhagen Major. I still rewatch his highlights. His instinct in chaotic moments — pure gold.
IM — reliable, sharp, not flashy, but incredibly useful. At ESL Pro League, he was a trade machine. One of the best “second tempo” players on the CS2 scene in 2025.
b1t — my personal favorite in this lineup. With NAVI since 2020, and still performing at a consistently high level. He’s aggressive, sharp, and if you give him space — the round is practically over.

In short, the NAVI CS2 roster is deep and well-balanced. They can win any tournament — the only question is how quickly they adapt to the new meta.

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The MongolZ CS2 Lineup (2025)

If NAVI is a foundation, then The MongolZ CS2 team is a hurricane. They exploded onto the scene so fast it scared a lot of people. And I get why. This isn’t just another Asian team — this is a symbol that the Mongolian CS2 scene is now part of the global elite:

bLitz — captain, IGL, the main engine. I’ve seen him shouting behind his teammates at MESA Nomadic Masters and ESL Pro League — he really leads both emotionally and tactically. And it works.
Techno — the young aggressor. His rating isn’t always the best, but when he’s on form — he jumps out, gets a -2, and the whole map blows up. He’s relentless, and that’s how he breaks opponent setups.
Senzu — a very underrated player. Not as flashy as Techno, but super consistent. In matches against FURIA and MOUZ, he pulled off crucial situations.
mzinho — the second-layer brain. You don’t see him in the highlights, but every nade setup and positional move has his fingerprints on it. He holds the game together, and you can feel it in The MongolZ’s pacing.
910 — just wild. I call him “the human flash.” He runs, breaks through, sprays — and sometimes it looks like madness, but it works. He creates pressure like no one else.

The MongolZ players (2025) are all about talent, drive, and massive potential. They still lack a bit of consistency, but if they keep this up — they could soon be a top-3 team in the world.

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Latest Head-to-Head Battles: NAVI vs MongolZ

To be honest, I find the head-to-head clashes between NAVI CS2 and The MongolZ especially fascinating, because there’s real tension in them. It’s no longer just a “rookies vs veterans” matchup — it’s a duel of styles, pacing, and approaches on the most prestigious CS2 stages. Their meetings at PGL Majors, ESL Pro League, and IEM Katowice have shown how quickly The MongolZ CS2 team has closed the gap with one of the greatest powerhouses in Counter-Strike history. Here’s how their recent face-offs have developed:

Tournament	Date	Result
PGL Astana 2025	May 12, 2025	NAVI 2:0 The MongolZ
ESL Pro League Season 21	March 14, 2025	The MongolZ 2:0 NAVI
IEM Katowice 2025	Feb 4, 2025	NAVI 2:0 The MongolZ
PGL CS2 Major Copenhagen 2024	March 2024	NAVI 1:0 The MongolZ

Right now, the score clearly favors NAVI, but The MongolZ’s victory at ESL Pro League proved one thing: the gap is shrinking. If they keep up this pace, their next encounter might flip the table — and become their defining moment.

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Playstyle Showdown: NAVI vs The MongolZ in CS2

When I watch NAVI and The MongolZ in the context of CS2, the differences in their playstyles are immediately obvious. NAVI play a strict, calculated discipline. Their rounds are about structure, planning, and depth. Under B1ad3’s leadership, every movement is built on logic, positioning, and macro-control. That’s exactly how they won the PGL CS2 Major Copenhagen 2024, and but by 2025, opponents started to read those structures. At ESL Pro League Season 21, NAVI lost to The MongolZ 0:2 — and that was a wake-up call: too predictable, too cautious. Their style is still strong, especially in bo3 or bo5 formats, but it doesn’t always work against chaos.

The MongolZ team, on the other hand, bases everything on tempo, sharpness, and risk. This is aggressive CS2, where every round is an attempt to catch the defense off guard. Their victory at YaLLa Compass 2024, the first S-tier title for Asia in 14 years, speaks for itself. At PGL Astana 2025, they destroyed FURIA and MIBR 2:0, and only NAVI managed to stop their momentum. Their style can be unstable, especially against top-tier tactics, but it breaks the meta in ways others can’t. And honestly, sometimes I think — this is exactly the kind of CS2 we all fell in love with.

Who Do Opponents Fear More in CS2?

To be honest, I don’t know a single team in professional CS2 that opponents prepare for as thoroughly as they do for NAVI. The name Natus Vincere is not just a brand, it’s synonymous with stability, pressure, and esports weight. Their victory at PGL CS2 Major Copenhagen 2024, finals at Esports World Cup, top spots at ESL Pro League — all of this turns them into a team whose mere presence at a tournament already makes other teams nervous. At the start of 2025, the NAVI CS2 team faced some struggles, but opponents still fear giving them any space. Because even one break in their defense, and you’ll watch yourself get dismantled piece by piece.

With The MongolZ, it’s different — and, in a way, even scarier. They are feared not for their name, but for how they play. After surpassing NAVI in the Valve rankings in June 2024, they were no longer seen as “newcomers from Asia.” Victories over FURIA, MIBR, and that very game against NAVI at ESL Pro League Season 21 — they proved they can break top-tier teams. Their style is chaos, explosion, unpredictability. And when I see The MongolZ in the bracket, I know: no team wants to face them in the first round. Because if you get caught in their tempo — you’ll just get swept away.

Best Frags in CS2: Who Delivers the Nastiest Highlights?

I grew up on NAVI highlights — and that’s no exaggeration. I still remember watching the 1v4 by s1mple on Mirage and simply not believing it was possible. Ukrainian CS2 has its own special aesthetic: they don’t always play with fury, but their moments — it’s pure geometry, everything is precise, everything is calculated. Now, after s1mple’s departure in 2025, the show continues with w0nderful, b1t, and jL — especially memorable was the PGL Major Copenhagen final, where w0nderful simply obliterated FaZe. The NAVI CS2 team’s highlights are not about “wow,” but about the cold beauty of tactics. And there’s something satisfying about that.

But The MongolZ — that’s a whole different story. I often find myself rewatching their highlights just for the adrenaline rush. At ESL Pro League Season 21, senzu exploded on Mirage, wrecking NAVI, and it wasn’t “right” — it was wild, and that made it awesome. At IEM Melbourne 2025, they did the same to MOUZ — lots of aggressive moves, lightning-fast frags, reactions with no pause. On social media, these frags spread not because they are perfect, but because they are wild, real, sharp. And yes — it’s these moments that make The MongolZ highlights my favorites in CS2 2025.

Who’s More Ready for BLAST.tv Major Austin 2025 in CS2?

When I look at the lead-up to BLAST.tv Major Austin 2025, the NAVI CS2 team still looks like the more prepared esports machine. After their victory at PGL Major Copenhagen 2024, where they closed out FaZe Clan 2:1, they haven’t slowed down. In 2025, they once again reached the playoffs at PGL Astana, once again defeating The MongolZ — this time 2:0. A lineup with Aleksib, w0nderful, jL, b1t, solid structure, experience in Valve-sponsored tournaments, and consistent analysis — all of this makes the Ukrainian CS2 squad a top candidate for a deep run in Austin.

But underestimating The MongolZ CS2 lineup would be a huge mistake. Their run to the Elimination Stage at PGL Major Copenhagen, wins over Legacy, top-tier matches against MOUZ and NAVI, steady performances at ESL Pro League — none of that is a coincidence. They adapt quickly, break the rhythm, and if they keep this up, they could pull off surprises even at the major in the U.S. Personally, I’ve already added them to my watchlist when building predictions for MelBet Pick’em CS2 Major picks. And my advice: don’t miss your chance — this is one of the most unpredictable tournaments of the year!

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What’s Next for NAVI and The MongolZ in CS2’s 2025 Season?

2025 promises to be intense: the NAVI CS2 roster still remains a favorite at major tournaments like the PGL Majors and IEM Katowice, but without s1mple and with inconsistency in Aleksib’s gameplay, they’ll have to prove they’re still at the top. Meanwhile, The MongolZ CS2 team is a real threat from the East. With a seventh-place spot in the Valve rankings, a victory at YaLLa Compass, and explosive highlights at ESL Pro League, they’re no longer just a breakthrough — they’re the real deal. If they keep up this momentum, we can seriously talk about them contending for the BLAST.tv Major Austin 2025 final. And I’ll definitely be following them closely in the upcoming CS2 tournaments — because anything can happen this season!

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Author Temujin Batbayar

Analyst from Ulaanbaatar specializing in CS2. Has competed in MESA tournaments, worked with Esports TV during the ESL Pro League, and reviewed both the PGL Major Antwerp 2022 and IEM Katowice 2024. Author of his own player evaluation metrics and known for accurate predictions. Has interviewed s1mple and ZywOo. In esports since the days of CS 1.3.