ANGE1 retires from competitive play and transitions into coaching

Today we wave goodbye to one of VALORANT esports' longest-standing members as Kirill "ANGE1" Karasiow announces he's retiring from playing. Despite putting down the mouse and keyboard, however, ANGE1's journey is far from over. In a post made in X, the former Natus Vincere in-game leader assured everyone he still believes in his vision for the game and intends to head into the new year in search of a coaching position.

"After taking a small break, I understood that it takes too much focus and energy for me to compete on the highest level."

A Masters Champion Leaves the Stage

ANGE1's first steps in the world of esports came with Counter-Strike all the way back in 2005. As far as VALORANT goes, the Ukrainian player's love for the game came in an instant, with ANGE1 making the transition to competitive VALORANT immediately after the game's release in 2020, making him one of the most dedicated pros in the scene.

As soon as the VCT was formed, ANGE1 began competing in EMEA with FunPlus Phoenix, giving rise to his unbreakable partnership with Andrey "Shao" Kiprsky on the server. It wasn't until VCT 2022 - Stage 2 - Masters Copenhagen, however, that ANGE1 really left his stamp on the game. There, the FPX IGL led the organization to their first and only international title.

At the end of that same year, the FPX core was bought by NAVI, a name that has grown synonymous with ANGE1 over time. The IGL was unable to lead his new team to the heights reached with FPX, however, with their most recent run culminating in a fourth place finish at VALORANT Champions Tour 2025 - EMEA Stage 2 that would see the squad miss out on VALORANT Champions Tour 2025 - Valorant Champions.

"I truly did my best in the last 2 years, but expectation and reality unfortunately did not meet."

Despite the disappointing closing chapter, ANGE1's career has been remarkable in its own right, and his presence on the server will surely be missed.

What's next for ANGE1?

While his playing career may be coming to an end, ANGE1's journey in competitive VALORANT may still be far from over. In his announcement, the veteran player disclosed he would like to try himself as a coach moving forward.

The decision may not come as a shock to everyone, though. In a recent interview with THESPIKE, ANGE1 expressed confidence in his ability to coach, hinting at what the future had in store for him.

With multiple years of in-game leading experience in VALORANT, there's no doubt ANGE1 is one of the most experienced minds in EMEA. Whether this will allow him to transition smoothly into coaching remains to be seen, but there's little doubt several teams would be eager to give a veteran of his pedigree a shot, be it in Tier-1 or below.

That means this likely won't be a farewell, but simply an until next time.

"Let's not be sad; one journey ends, and another one begins."

For all things VALORANT-related, make sure to stay tuned to THESPIKE.GG as we continue to update you with the freshest game and esports news.

Featured Image Source: Wojciech Wandzel/Riot Games