Tundra Esports ended Team Liquid’s run at The International 2025 with a 2-1 victory in the elimination round, advancing to the playoffs. The loss ended Team Liquid’s bid for a consecutive title, as they finished 9th�?3th.

The series carried high weight for both Western European sides. Team Liquid entered as defending champions and maintained a steady form, while Tundra Esports had to field Tobias ‘Tobi�?Buchner as a stand-in due to Matthew ‘Whitemon�?Filemon’s visa issue. The games showed both squads on near equal ground, but Tundra proved stronger when it mattered most.

Game one turned after Remco 'Crystallis' Arets and Neta '33' Shapira combined for fight-winning plays. Liquid struck back in game two with precise execution in late fights, dragging the series to a decider. Tundra then controlled game three from start to end, pressing their lead and closing the match in just over 30 minutes.

Tundra now joins the top 8, along with Team Falcons and PARIVISION followed suit after winning their respective matches against Team Spirit and Wildcard, respectively. The main stage awaits in Hamburg, Germany, on September 11, 2025. 

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Professional Dota 2 has been around for well over a decade. During that timeframe, the esports scene has seen its fair share of amazing teams. A good metric to measure those teams is how they step up under pressure. A few squads have set themselves apart and left a mark on the game’s history.

Defining greatness in Dota 2 

For a Dota 2 team to be considered great, it goes beyond the one-off victories. The best teams usually combine consistency across multiple events with an affinity for succeeding in this game’s biggest event, called The International. This is the most prestigious event in Dota 2 and arguably the entirety of esports.

OG

As one of the most popular teams in Dota 2 history, OG captured people’s hearts quite often during their heyday. From the mid-to-late 2010s, OG was a dominant side. They were winning many Valve Majors early on, but they could not get past their troubles at TI.

That was problematic enough that their co-founder and captain Tal ‘Fly�?Aizik left the team to join Evil Geniuses. This left co-founder Johan ‘N0tail�?Sundstein to pick up the scraps and lead the team as captain. It was a blessing in disguise as N0tail would form the team that would end up winning both TI8 and TI9. 

This team was more than amazing; they were powered by a wholesome friendship between the players. It made them the prime example of a good Dota 2 team and a great esports story.

Team Spirit

Team Spirit has become the face of consistent top-level Dota 2 in the 2020s. They won TI in 2021. They might have lost in 2022, but they regrouped around their core of Illya ‘Yatoro�?Mulyarchuk, Magomed ‘Collapse�?Khalilov, and Yaroslav ‘Miposhka�?Naidenov, who have combined raw skill with superb discipline that made them into a modern powerhouse.

They also have two TI wins under their belt. This consistency across different years has made them one of the most feared teams in Dota 2 history. Team Spirit’s success has proven that youth, talent, and composure have helped them overcome the most seasoned opponents possible.

With most of this team still intact, they could surpass OG and become the definitive team in Dota 2 history.

Team Liquid

Few organisations in esports have showcased longevity like Team Liquid. They had the 2017 roster led by Kuro ‘KuroKy�?Salehi Takhasomi that won The International. Fast forward to 2024, they won TI again, albeit with a different roster led by the likes of Michael ‘miCKe�?Vu and Samuel ‘Boxi�?Svahn. 

Team Liquid is the embodiment of enduring success in the history of Dota 2’s competitive scene. That sustained excellence across years and different rosters shows the org’s quality.

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Esports team AVULUS has announced major roster changes just weeks before The International 2025 (TI14) starts in September. The team confirmed on an X (Twitter) post the exit of Tal ‘Fly�?Aizik, Andreas ‘Xibbe�?Ragnemalm, Athanasios ‘dEsire�?Kartsabas, along with Coach Andrij ‘Mag�?Chipenko.

The decision comes after a tough season that left the squad struggling to find form. AVULUS also thanked the departing members for their work, but stressed that their team’s goal is far from over. ‘AVULUS�?ambitions in Dota 2 do not end here. In the new season, we plan to return with a renewed roster and once again compete at the highest level,�?they noted.

With that, Aleksey ‘Smiling Knight�?Sviridov and Vitaliy ‘Worick�?Brezgin will stay with the team. This further supports AVULUS�?aim to rebuild.

Other Dota 2 teams have also faced big roster changes in recent weeks prior to TI14. Shopify Rebellion disbands while Gaimin Gladiators pull out from their TI14 run.

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Team Spirit will play without their mid lane star Denis ‘Larl�?Sigitov at the next FISSURE Universe: Episode 6 Dota 2 event. The team said he is healing from surgery. Larl had the operation during the Esports World Cup.

While there were some complications, Team Spirit informed fans that 'everything is fine'. With this setback, Larl will miss the $250,000 (£185,000) tournament. The TI 2025 qualified team will now need a stand-in.

The team said that Marat ‘Mirele�?Gazetdinov from Yellow Submarine (YeS) will take over the mid lane role. While the young player mostly competes in Tier-3 events, Mirele recently stood out at the CIS Battle. There, YeS finished the Group Stage with a 6-1 record despite struggles in the Playoffs.

Spirit knows him well since YeS have been practice partners for a long time. Team Spirit manager Dmitry ‘Korb3n�?Belov is also YeS�?CEO. This event will be tough without Larl, but the team’s main focus is on his recovery before The International 2025 in September.

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Xtreme Gaming (XG) pulled off a clean 2-0 win over Southeast Asian underdogs Execration at the Dota 2 Esports World Cup (EWC), keeping China’s hopes alive in the tournament. With a lot of pressure going into the match, XG relied on sharp teamwork and solid game skills to take the lead early.

Game one was all XG. They slowly built their lead and ended it in 36 minutes with a strong 28-9 kill score. Execration had a hard time keeping up but came into game two with a bold draft. They picked the rarely used Witch Doctor for support player Bryle 'cml' Alvizo, a hero that hadn’t won a single game at the event.

The risky pick worked at first, with the Filipino team holding strong in big fights and even gaining more gold late in the game. However, a failed push on the high ground turned things around. XG took advantage, won a key fight, and grabbed the Aegis.

With Execration out, Talon Esports is now the last team from Southeast Asia left in the Dota 2 EWC. XG moves on to the next knockout round, where they’ll face a harder match against PARIVISION.

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Day two of the 2025 Dota 2 Esports World Cup (EWC) came with some surprises. While some heavyweights struggled, rising teams seized the moment. Team Liquid, the reigning TI champions, stayed strong with a clean 2-0 win over PARIVISION. However, other top teams didn’t have the same luck.

Virtus.pro fell to the bottom of Group C after losing all four of their games. Defeats to Tundra Esports and Team Yandex pushed VP into the elimination phase. They were the first team to get locked in. At the same time, underdogs like NAVI and HEROIC picked up big wins and put more pressure on the top teams.

In the round-robin group stage, only one team from each group goes straight to the playoffs. The others must fight in the elimination phase. This increases the pressure with every match. Shopify Rebellion is in trouble after losing two games in a row and now risks getting knocked out.

As the $3 million Dota 2 event heads into Day 3, the gap between top teams and underdogs is getting smaller. This sets up a playoff race that could go in any direction.

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Team Liquid dominated the Esports World Cup group stage with a perfect 4-0 record. They beat strong teams like Shopify Rebellion and PARIVISION in intense matches that ended in under 30 minutes. Their offlane Venomancer plan worked well and stopped even the toughest opponents.

Meanwhile, Virtus.pro started poorly, losing all four of their games. The Russian team couldn’t beat Yandex or Tundra Esports. Their early losses drop them in the rankings, sending them to the elimination phase.

Team Falcons also struggled on their home ground. They finished with a 1-3 record. Poor planning and weak play left Saudi fans disappointed as they fell short against Execration and BetBoom Team. With more matches ahead, they must sharpen their game to stay in the race.

The tournament promises tough matchups and a huge cash prize. Fans can expect more surprises as the group stage ends this week.

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The Dota 2 esports circuit has been around for nearly 15 years, as it launched alongside the game. Throughout those years, many special players have competed in Dota 2’s competitive circuit, but only a few players have stood out. Among them, Johan ‘N0tail�?Sundstein stands above all because of his unprecedented success and impact.

N0tail was a versatile player

During his career, N0tail played almost every role in Dota 2. He initially started as a position four (soft support) player at Fnatic but transitioned to the carry position after joining Team Secret and later OG. N0tail was always a game-changer in every position, including his time as a carry-mid hybrid in the first few years at OG, but most people know of his impact as a leader.

The last position he played was position five (hard support) when he served as OG’s captain. This was the most successful period of his career as he was the shot-caller for the team’s victory at The International 2018 and The International 2019.

He had multiple signature heroes during his time as a player, as he was an Io, Chen, and Enchantress specialist during his days as position four. However, he moved over to Meepo and Terrorblade when he was a carry, then Nature’s Prophet when he last played as a position five support player.

N0tail had a career full of iconic stories

Throughout his iconic career, N0tail was always a compelling player. At Fnatic, he was part of a team that succeeded in another game, Heroes of Newerth. They were outsiders, but they proved they belonged in Dota 2. When that project ended, he moved over to Team Secret alongside his Fnatic teammate Tal ‘Fly�?Aizik. 

That project did not end well, which led to the duo parting ways for a few months. They would reunite after The International 2015, creating OG. In the years after, N0tail and Fly led OG to multiple Valve Major victories, but not TI. That led to Fly leaving the team to join Evil Geniuses, but N0tail picked up the scraps and led OG to the TI8 and TI9 wins.

He is always a big name in the narratives about all-time greats as he experienced plenty of setbacks in his career. 

N0tail has a successful career to back his GOAT case

Despite all the setbacks, N0tail maintained his status as one of the most well-known Dota 2 players. The many victories at Valve Majors and TI made him the most successful esports player ever when it came to prize money. He is still unmatched today because of his achievements, which cements him as the greatest Dota 2 player ever.

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Esports has not been around for as long as traditional sports, but it has already delivered some unforgettable moments across various games. Some of these are considered landmark moments that have helped draw more attention to competitive gaming. 

Before diving into these moments, find out what makes a moment iconic.

What makes a moment iconic in esports?

Not every highlight goes down in history even though esports games are usually packed with exciting moments. For a play to be significant enough, it needs to be impactful to remain part of the ongoing conversation around the game. When fans discuss the game, that moment should be the first to come to mind.

One thing that makes a moment iconic is when it sparks a strong reaction from fans, as it captures the essence of what makes it exciting. It should be one of the standout examples everyone recalls when the game comes up in a conversation.

The Na’Vi Fountain Hook (Dota 2)

One of the most unforgettable and controversial moments in esports happened at The International 3 in a match between Natus Vincere and TongFu. This involved the Fountain Hook, an exploit that made use of Pudge’s Meat Hook and Chen’s Recall abilities.

Recall is designed to teleport allies back to the fountain, while the Meat Hook has a certain range where Pudge can hook enemies to him. With the Recall bringing Pudge to the fountain, it drags the enemy along to the fountain where enemies cannot escape from due to the fountain damage.

Na’Vi was on the verge of losing this match, but after using this tactic, they were able to turn the game around and win. That propelled them to reach the Grand Final where they would play the infamous series against fierce rivals, Alliance. However, this moment is not without its issues as many players around the TI player base argued it was unfair, but Valve allowed it to happen.

Daigo’s Evo Moment #37 (Street Fighter - FGC)

This is one of the most iconic moments that comes to mind when fighting games are discussed. At the most popular fighting game event in the world, Evo, Daigo Umehara pulled off one of the most impressive and jaw-dropping plays you would ever see. 

Down to a sliver of health, Daigo parried 15 hits from Justin Wong’s Chun-Li Super Art, which required frame-perfect precision and reaction speed. After the final parry, Daigo hit back with a combo to take the round and then the match. Wong could not do anything at the time, though he looks back now and laughs about it.

It is a moment remembered by many because of the incredible skills to pull it off, but also for the powerful emotions it can elicit from the audience. The fighting game community is one of the most passionate in esports, and that moment encapsulates what it means to be part of the FGC because raw talent, hype, and respect are part of that moment.

Coldzera’s jumping AWP play (Counter-Strike)

Brazil was a powerhouse nation during the Counter-Strike 1.6 days, but in the Global Offensive, they were lacking that star power. That all changed in 2015 and 2016 when Luminosity Gaming broke out as one of the best teams. It was further stamped during MLG Columbus 2016 when they had a moment that defined their dominance during that year.

That was when Marcelo ‘coldzera�?David was watching the apartments section of the Mirage map. When Team Liquid tried to break through his defence with his AWP, coldzera pulled off the impossible by getting four frags, two of which came in one jumping shot from his AWP. 

The AWP requires precision to deal big damage, but coldzera hits those shots without using the scope. He completely turned the tide of the series, as LG came back from 9-15 down to win Mirage. That eventually led to a series victory and them taking the tournament. Brazil would become one of the strongest countries in CS:GO, which raised the level for everyone else.

Faker’s miraculous play against Ryu (League of Legends)

Few names are as synonymous with League of Legends as Lee ‘Faker�?Sang-hyeok. While his achievements have cemented his legendary status, he was already pulling off some iconic moments early in his career. In 2013, SK Telecom T1 was playing against KT’s Ryu ‘Ryu�?Sang-wook and beat him in a flashy one-on-one play. 

In most cases, Ryu would win the matchup against Faker, but with pixel-perfect decision-making, Faker came out on top. He danced around Ryu’s abilities and punished him for extending too far from the safety zone. It was a perfect display of skill, which became more normalised with Faker through the years.

This moment played a major role in Faker’s rise in the scene, proving he deserved to be called a superstar. He went on to dominate the League of Legends scene in the following decade, eventually winning five World Championships.

The esports industry will continue to deliver big moments

In esports, there is always a fun match yet to be played—one that’s bound to capture everyone’s attention. As the industry evolves, the popular games now might be replaced by new titles in the future, which will bring their own legendary moments. It will be interesting to see many more iconic moments emerging and becoming a big part of why esports is popular in the future.

With all of these moments, it is fair to say that esports has become one of the most exciting parts of the gaming industry. From massive audiences in the stadiums and online, the enthusiasm for esports will keep growing. Esports is here to stay, and these iconic moments play a big role in that longevity.

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Despite N0tail’s return to the competitive scene and high expectations from the fans, OG’s newly formed Western European DOTA 2 roster failed to secure a position in FISSURE Universe Episode 5's next stage. After getting defeated by AVULUS, they fell to 5th-6th place. 

During the tournament, they’ve shown promise. For their first two matches, they secured two draws from Edge and MOUZ. After that, they lost to the undefeated Virtus.pro. Despite the upsets, they won against Runa Team 2-0. Their 1-2-1 (1 win, 2 draws, and 1 defeat) put them on the edge of the qualifiers.

On the next stage, they faced the Shopify Rebellion, where they were defeated 2-1. Their two back-to-back defeats against Shopify Rebellion and AVULUS led to them failing to qualify.

The team proved they could compete with less experienced squads but had trouble against well-practised teams with more experience in big tournaments like the ever-impressive Virtus.pro, AVULUS, and SR. 

Now, everyone is looking forward to their performance at The International Western Europe Qualifiers, which will run from June 13 to 17. They are one of the invited teams alongside Nigma Galaxy, MOUZ, and AVULUS. 

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