jL Leaves NAVI and Takes a Break from His Career

Professional player Justinas “jL” Lekačius has decided to leave the main roster of Natus Vincere in CS2 and take a break from the competitive scene. The club officially announced this today—NAVI has transferred the 25-year-old Lithuanian esportsman to the inactive roster, fulfilling his request to temporarily step away from the game and focus on his personal life. It is currently unclear when or if jL will return to the professional scene.

Lekačius joined NAVI in the summer of 2023 as part of a major roster overhaul, becoming part of the team’s new international lineup. Over the year in the black and yellow jersey, jL helped Natus Vincere achieve several major victories. The team won the first CS2 Major in history—PGL Major Copenhagen 2024—defeating FaZe Clan in the finals (jL himself was named the MVP of the tournament). In addition to the Major, NAVI with Lekačius also claimed titles at the Esports World Cup 2024 and ESL Pro League Season 20, solidifying their status as one of the world’s top teams. These and other successes earned NAVI the title of Team of the Year 2024 by HLTV.

However, the 2025 season has not been as successful for the team. After a series of lackluster results, internal changes became imminent, and jL's decision to take a step back was one of those changes. NAVI, in its statement, thanked Justinas for his contributions and described him as “one of the most charismatic and dedicated players in the team’s history,” wishing him to find balance, rest, and recharge his energy.

In an open interview, jL explained why he decided to temporarily pause his career and what he plans to do during his break. According to the player, his main reasons are as follows:

Restoring Physical and Mental Health

 “I don’t feel in my best shape—physically or mentally. So, I want to work on this a bit. I want to focus on physical activity—gym, kickboxing, MMA, and all that,” Lekačius explained.

Passion for Motorsport (Drifting)

The esportsman revealed that he bought a drift car (BMW E46) and plans to try his hand at drifting: “I found a good friend named Tomas, who will teach me. I have a BMW E46, fully prepared for drifting,” jL shared.

Creating Content for the Community

During his break, the player plans to produce educational CS2 content: “Not just streams and gameplay, but guides, tutorials, and breakdowns,” he outlined his plans.

Spending Time with Family

Lekačius mentioned he wants to support his wife in everyday matters: “We bought an apartment, and she did everything on her own—dealing with repairs, talking to builders, planning the wedding—99% was done by her. Now I want to be an integral part of our life and future family.”

According to Justinas, his break is expected to last about six months (or perhaps even less)—he believes this time will be enough to achieve his goals and return to competition with renewed energy. For now, jL has shifted his role to content creation: the esportsman even updated his social media bio, adding the position of "Content Creator for NAVI." Thus, for the time being, Lekačius remains part of the organization, but no longer as a main player.

Spirit, Vitality, NAVI, and Falcons will compete in ESL Pro League Season 22

jL's departure from the main roster is part of a broader reshuffle in NAVI. Even before the announcement of his break, the club promoted 18-year-old Drin “Makazze” Shakiri from the academy roster, who now occupies the spot in the main team. The updated Natus Vincere CS2 roster is currently as follows: b1t, Aleksib, iM, w0nderful, Makazze (players) and B1ad3 (coach). At the same time, NAVI previously placed other members of the youth team on transfer, focusing on rebuilding the main roster.

These current changes are an important stage for the team, which is experiencing a tough season. NAVI fans will certainly miss jL’s emotional charge and charisma on the server. At the same time, the decision of Lekačius to take a time-out is understood by the community—health and personal life have taken priority. Fans wish jL the best of luck in his new endeavors and eagerly await his return to professional Counter-Strike when he’s ready.