Who is nitr0? Everything we know about Team Liquid’s IGL

Valorant and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive’s in-game leader Nick “nitr0” Cannella is pegged as one of the best first-person shooter players ever. The American rifler has proved his mettle in both FPS games. 

CSGO and Valorant are arguably the two top shooters in the world from an esports perspective. nitr0 enjoyed esports success in both tites, and has remained at an elite level for years now. His versatility and leadership have earned him the title of CSGO’s “Captain America.” The ace aimer made the jump to Valorant during his prime and then returned to CSGO in an unexpected move. 

Here’s what’s known about the star player and what lies ahead for him.

How old is nitr0?

nitr0 is an American professional CSGO player born on August 16, 1995. He’s 26-year-old and currently playing for Team Liquid. The majority of his CSGO career has been spent with Liquid but he had a notable run in Valorant with 100 Thieves.

Who is nitr0’s wife?

nitr0 married Harper Cannella in 2016 after dating her for seven years. In 2021, he announced on Twitter that they had their first child, a son named Maverick Cannella. He also shared how his son is the primary driving factor behind his grind to become the best in CSGO.

Why did nitr0 leave 100 Thieves?

Amid rumors of player discord in 100 Thieves, nitr0 stated that it was his personal decision to leave Valorant. According to the rifler, watching CSGO competitions re-ignited his passion for the game.

nitr0 was the longest-standing member of 100 Thieves Valorant. From winning the game’s first major event, First Strike, to carrying the team to a third-place finish at VCT Masters Stage Three Berlin, nitr0 has remained 100 Thieves’ rock.

While he played a crucial role in the team’s success early on, 100 Thieves started falling behind in the North American Valorant scene. According to nitr0, it was time for a change. The organization recruited new players, and the American CSGO legend decided to switch games.

Did nitr0 go back to CSGO?

nitr0 returned to CSGO in January 2022, returning to Team Liquid and rejoining his former teammates Jonathan “EliGE” Jablonowski and Keith “NAF” Markovic. His comeback was a defining moment for North American CSGO as Team Liquid’s 2017 star trio was finally coming back together. 

The pro player was at the helm of Team Liquid’s enduring roster that lifted multiple trophies, including DreamHack Masters Dallas 2019, BLAST Pro Series: Los Angeles 2019, and IEM XIV Chicago. The team was ranked as the best in the world for an extended period of time.

nitr0’s departure from Team Liquid caused a series of issues for the organization and resulted in several roster changes in a relatively short period of time. It was a major hit not only to Team Liquid’s CSGO division but also to NA CSGO as a whole. This made his return a massive deal for all Counter-Strike fans. 

What’s nitr0’s sensitivity? 

nitr0 plays on 400 DPI and 0.75, which is pretty low. However, it’s a perfect sensitivity for a rifler. For hardware, he has a Logitech G PRO Wireless mouse.

Is nitr0 still a top CSGO player?

nitr0 officially returned to CSGO esports at BLAST Premier: Spring Groups 2022. nitr0’s Team Liquid had a disappointing run despite some close matches, officially crashing out in 10th place. In group play, both of Team Liquid’s losses in the event were overtime defeats in best-of-one games on Inferno against a strong FaZe Clan. Alongside this was a victory over Evil Geniuses in a best-of-one and a competitive 0-2 defeat to Natus Vincere in the play-in stage.

nitr0’s first return in a prominent event comes at IEM Katowice 2022. The team will once again start its journey by facing FaZe Clan, this time in a best-of-three series. For betting and daily fantasy sports purposes, Team Liquid is being looked at as an underdog, but not to a prohibitive degree.

nitr0 isn’t known for posting eye-popping numbers. His contributions are often qualitative, not quantitative. Though he’s certainly a player to keep an eye on, fans looking for action beyond watching the matches shouldn’t touch Team Liquid for the time being.

Liquid and nitr0 individually could still make noise in the long term. There will still be an adjustment period as nitr0 shakes off Valorant and the new roster comes together.