NAts

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nAts
Current team
TeamTeam Liquid
GameValorant
Personal information
BornAyaz Akhmetshin
(2002-07-01) July 1, 2002 (age 23)
Kazan, Tatarstan
Career information
Playing career2020–present
Team history
2020FishkaVTom
2020–2022Gambit Esports
2022M3 Champions
2022–presentTeam Liquid

Ayaz Akhmetshin (born 1 July, 2002), better known as nAts, is a Russian professional Valorant player currently playing for Team Liquid.

Early life

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Ayaz Akhmetshin was born on 1 July 2002 in Kazan, Tatarstan.[1][2] He played tennis as a child. Akhmetshin originally aspired to be a professional Counter-Strike: Global Offensive player, but it did not work out.[3][4]

Career

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As a part of the original roster of Gambit Esports, which he joined in 2020, Akhmetshin won the 2021 Valorant Champions Tour: Stage 3 Masters and was the runner up for the 2021 Valorant Champions.[5] At the same time, he was pursuing a degree in law at Kazan Federal University.[6][7] In 2022, because of the sanctions by Riot Games against Russian organizations due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Akhmetshin played independently as a part of the M3 Champions but did not qualify in any masters events and lost the Last Chance Qualifiers. Gambit released their entire roster in August,[8] leading to him signing with Team Liquid in November.[9]

Akhmetshin was unable to attend part of the 2025 Valorant Champions Tour: Toronto Masters with Team Liquid due to visa issues.[10][11][12]

Personal life

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Akhmetshin is known for carrying a stuffed panda with him during matches.[13] He named it after his girlfriend and has said it gives him a sense of confidence in competition.[6]

References

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  1. ^ Reddy, Tanmaiy (24 October 2021). "Gambit nAts is diagnosed with Covid". The SportsRush. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  2. ^ Garst, Aron (4 May 2023). "Hometown Heroes: Redgar and Nats". teamliquid.com. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  3. ^ Bonnie, Qu (8 December 2022). "nAts and Redgar's unlikely journey to Liquid". teamliquid.com. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  4. ^ Boukneter, Mehdi (23 August 2025). "Liquid Nats: "I had been playing games since I was a kid, but by the time I was 14 I already wanted to become a professional"". sheepesports.com. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  5. ^ "Gambit nAts on being a target at VALORANT Champions: "They were trying to destroy my game style"". esports.gg. 10 December 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  6. ^ a b Tan, Amanda "Tania Mae" (7 December 2021). "How Gambit Esports nAts juggles school, relationship, and an esports career | ONE Esports". www.oneesports.gg. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  7. ^ Tan, Amanda "Tania Mae" (19 July 2023). "Team Liquid nAts reveals his greatest challenge this year | ONE Esports". www.oneesports.gg. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  8. ^ Zalamea, Nigel (5 October 2022). "Team Liquid look to overhaul their roster with nAts, Redgar | ONE Esports". www.oneesports.gg. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  9. ^ Koh, Wanzi (14 November 2022). "Team Liquid add nAts, Redgar, and Sayf to Valorant roster | ONE Esports". www.oneesports.gg. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  10. ^ Maas, Lea (29 May 2025). "Liquid nAts faces Visa issues prior to VALORANT Masters Toronto". Esports Insider. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  11. ^ Via, David (29 May 2025). "Team Liquid's IGL nAts currently unable to travel to Toronto due to visa issues". SiegeGG. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  12. ^ Stewart, Jack (30 May 2025). "Team Liquid nAts could miss Valorant Masters Toronto". Esports News UK. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  13. ^ Marsh, Jack (7 December 2021). "VALORANT Player Of The Year: How nAts Reinvented The Game". GCRecon. Retrieved 12 September 2025.