After a challenging split,
Natus Vincere are officially out of the
League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC) for the remainder of the 2025 season. After just four series, the Ukrainian organization is now back to the drawing board, aiming for a stronger start next year. To discuss this difficult season and his transition from Rogue to NAVI, toplaner
Adam “Adam” Maanane sat down with
Sheep Esports to reflect on his year, its impact on him mentally, his future in the LEC, and his personal growth.
How did you experience this Summer Split, the last match against GIANTX, and the end of your year?
Adam “Adam” Maanane: “We were already eliminated since last week, so even though we tried to keep our spirits up a little, it was really too hard. Today, we were fine until the first bad play in the first game. After that, all the PTSD from the split came back and it completely snowballed. That one mistake was enough to kill everyone’s morale. So it was a bit “XD,” you know.
Do you think things could have worked out differently if certain things had gone another way?
Adam: Not really. We had good team dynamics, but we just couldn’t click together. It’s not a question of individual skill, but as a team, we were just bad. No matter what you say, it always comes back to “yeah, we’re bad.” That’s the reality we have to face now. Since we were already eliminated for a week, it didn’t really change anything that we lost again today. Maybe we could have shown something as a team, but even that we didn’t manage. It was just too hard.
Has this year affected you mentally?
Adam: I was pretty sad after Winter and Spring because I really felt like I gave my best, especially with the Rogue project. It was too tough. With NAVI in Summer, I didn’t play particularly well in these four Bo3s, but given the circumstances, it was also hard to do more. At some points, I almost lost the desire to play LoL, and that had never happened to me in my career.
Mentally, the Summer was fine, because in general I have a pretty strong mindset. But I didn’t have the same drive to win with NAVI that I had with Rogue in the first two splits. I gave so much during the first two splits that it was impossible to perform at the same level again. And with NAVI, in such a short format where losses kept piling up, it was way too tough for me.
Your contract expires at the end of the split. Have you thought about your future? Has this year affected your confidence?
Adam: Individually, I’m still confident. I know I can still be an asset to many teams. I haven’t lost confidence in my level. I believe I can be a toplaner capable of competing internationally, and I always give my best to succeed. This year was a bit “XD,” I think that’s the best word. My options were this, LFL, or the bench. From the start, joining Rogue, I knew it would be tough, and I was prepared for it. That’s why I didn’t fall into depression or burnout—I’m not that kind of player.
For the future, if NAVI decides to keep me, I’d be very happy. It’s a good organization that gave us everything they could so we could try to perform despite the circumstances. And I’m sure I can continue playing in the LEC and perform very well in the coming years.
We’ve talked to other players who hinted that NAVI’s arrival immediately brought better support compared to Rogue. How did you experience that change?
Adam: I don’t want to bash Rogue, but this year they weren’t a professional structure. They were there, but honestly, they didn’t care. They had a team to field in the LEC, they fielded it, and that was it. Their goal was probably to sell. There was no sporting ambition, at least none that was communicated to us. With NAVI, it was completely different. It’s a professional organization that wants to do things right and gives players the resources they need. It was the first time this year that I felt like I was in an organization that truly wanted us to succeed.
If NAVI doesn’t re-sign you and you don’t get offers in the LEC, would you consider going back to the ERL and trying to work your way back up?
Adam: I don’t know. Playing in LFL wouldn’t bother me, I wouldn’t need to put in extraordinary effort to smurf in ERL, as long as I have some contractual freedom. But I’m not at a point in my career where I have to consider myself “finished” in the LEC. I’m far from that. I 100% belong in the LEC, and not at the bottom of the league. Esports moves fast. We’ll see what the future holds.
Looking back at the entire 2025 season, is there any big regret or something you would have done differently?
Adam: No regrets this year. I’m proud of the person I’ve become because I’ve grown a lot from all the sporting disappointments. I’ve become a much better teammate. Now, I’ve literally became like a Shaolin monk in terms of mental strength: nothing can affect me. In previous years, I might have blown up in anger, but this year it’s over. I really worked on my mental strength, and I consider that the biggest gain from this year, despite the losses.
Individually, I’ve also stepped up compared to last year. With Rogue, I had more freedom and started playing a lot of ranged toplaners, which I couldn’t do before. I’ve expanded my champion pool, and I’m still confident in my level. I showed some good things, especially in Winter and Spring. This Summer, I don’t think I showed much, and honestly, no one on the team really managed to shine. When a team like ours can’t coordinate in-game, no individual can stand out, and that’s exactly what happened.
What are you planning on doing before the 2026 season starts?
Adam: I plan to take a little time off from LoL, maybe a week or two. It’ll do me good after eight months of hard tryharding. I really gave everything I could this year. Even with Rogue, I thought we could achieve something, but unfortunately, that wasn't the case. With NAVI, I tried a lot of things, but it still didn’t work, so I need to disconnect a bit and stop thinking about LoL.
I’ll be following the playoffs, cheering for KC because I want to see them at Worlds, and I want to see BDS lose to GIANTX in two weeks. I also want to see my friend Sheo continue. In general, I’d like to see G2, KC, and MKOI make it to Worlds—it would be super hype for Europe. After that, we’ll see what the future holds.”
Header Photo Credit: Alexandre Weber/Riot Games
