Dota 2’s The International: Chasing the Dream of a Second Title
The International, the pinnacle tournament of Dota 2, is where dreams are made or shattered. While winning the grand prize is the ultimate goal, some players are not content with just one victory. They return to The International in pursuit of the Aegis for a second time, a feat accomplished only by OG.
Team Spirit, the only team that could match OG’s record, was eliminated from the tournament in the first main stage series. Now, with only four teams remaining, there is only one organization with a chance of lifting the Aegis for a second time: Team Liquid.
In 2017, Liquid dominated the Dota 2 world and claimed victory at TI7 with KuroKy as their leader. Although Liquid now has a new roster, MATUMBAMAN acts as a connection between their past success and present aspirations. Matu was a part of the TI-winning Liquid squad and continues to contribute to the new roster’s progress. While Liquid aims for a second title as an organization, Matu is determined to secure his second title as a player.
Matu and Liquid are not the only ones in the competition seeking a repeat victory. Puppey, a legendary figure in TI history, also desires a second title after 11 years since his first championship at TI1.
Lee “Heen” Seung Gon, Secret’s coach, was part of the Liquid squad that won TI7. Now, he finds himself in the running to lift the Aegis for a second time as a Dota 2 coach.
Completing the roster of second-time hopefuls is Kurtis “Aui_2000” Ling, Tundra Esports’ coach, who won TI5 with Evil Geniuses, marking the first and only TI victory for the North American region.
While there are players and coaches vying for a second TI title, there is one individual on the verge of lifting the Aegis for the third time: JerAx, Liquid’s coach. JerAx was a member of the legendary OG roster that emerged victorious at TI8 and TI9.
Although JerAx is not on stage for his third attempt, a first-place finish for Liquid would etch his name in the annals of Dota International history.
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