Cover-Credits:
On 30th October, Team Spirit won The International 2023 (TI12) and lifted the coveted Aegis of Champions. With this, Team Spirit has become the second team in the history of The International to achieve this remarkable feat. In the grand finals, Team Spirit defeated Gaimin Gladiators with a clean 3-0 sweep, showing its prowess. At the heart of Team Spirit's triumph stood Illya "Yatoro" Mulyarchuk, the team's carry, who has now arguably solidified his status as the best carry player in the current Dota 2 scene.
At the conclusion of TI12, the Russian powerhouse left fans and rivals in awe with its stellar performance. The Dota 2 community was full of praise for Team Spirit and notable personalities, pros, and fans poured in their congratulations to the team.
Team Spirit’s Historic TI12 Win Catches Attention of Fans & Esports Enthusiasts
Team Spirit’s historic moment as it lifted the Aegis once more was met with a lot of buzz. Many popular Dota 2 personalities and talents took to their social media to congratulate the team on such a feat.
Sébastien "Ceb" Debs, a two-time TI winner, extended his warm welcome to Team Spirit into the exclusive club of multiple-time champions. Johan "N0tail" Sundstein lauded the standout performances of Yatoro and Collapse, while Janne "Gorgc" Stefanovski and Martin "Saksa" Sazdov hailed Yatoro as the "Greatest of All Time" carry. Meanwhile, Kyle "melonzz" Freedman, commentator and analyst for Dota 2, exuded confidence in Team Spirit's championship, extending his congratulations to the team and commending its remarkable performance.
Respected figures in the Dota 2 community, including Icefrog, Henrik "AdmiralBulldog" Ahnberg, Oliver "skiter" Lepko, Max "qojqva" Bröcke, and many others, also extended their congratulations to Team Spirit.
Team Spirit Players Reflect on Their Win
Yatoro, in a message on his Telegram, conveyed his pride in the team's accomplishments and referred to the coach, Airat "Silent" Gaziev, as "Xiao9." He playfully implied that Silent was an upgraded version of LGD Gaming coach and Chinese Dota legend Zhang "xiao8" Ning.
He boldly declared, "In general, I would like to say that my team is the best in the history of Dota, including CEO managers and of course Airat Gaziev a.k.a Xiao9."
Yaroslav "Miposhka" Naidenov announced a temporary break from competitive play, dispelling rumors of leaving the team. Meanwhile, Magomed "Collapse" Khalilov humorously called upon Valve to consider balance changes, seeking to nerf Magnus and Spirit Breaker while buffing Mars.
Other End of The Spectrum
Eva Elfie expressed sympathy for Anton "dyrachyo" Shkredov, the carry for Gaimin Gladiators, as his attempts were futile to claim the Aegis. This year was a promising run for the Gladiators as it was on a winning spree, dominating tournaments in mighty fashion. However, it failed at the last hurdle of defeating Spirit at TI12 finals.
Melchior "Seleri" Hillenkamp, a support player for Gaimin Gladiators, acknowledged the dedication and effort put forth by his team. He lauded his teammates and recognized the challenging journey they undertook in the lower bracket.
Amidst the jubilation, Peter "ppd" Dager highlighted the ongoing roster changes within teams, with some even disbanding. Notably, beastcoast's entire roster has parted ways with the team, making them free agents available for new opportunities.
In the wake of Team Spirit's triumph, the Dota 2 community came together to celebrate a historic achievement in the world of esports. This TI12 victory has cemented Team Spirit's legacy in the annals of Dota 2 history.
