Team Secret Goes Undercover for Riyadh Masters 2023 Qualifiers
As the Dota 2 competitive calendar ramps up for The International’s return to Seattle, all eyes are on the Riyadh Masters 2023 tournament. Teams from around the world are vying for a slot in the prestigious $15 million USD event. While many top Dota 2 squads have followed the traditional path to Riyadh, Team Secret and captain Clement “Puppey” Ivanov took a different approach.
In 2023, Secret has faced challenges, falling out of Dota Pro Circuit’s Division One twice. This means they have not been able to attend a major event this season. The same fate appeared to await them for Riyadh Masters 2023. However, Puppey put together a task force and went undercover for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Qualifiers.
The team, dubbed “Team Secret Middle East,” was initially leaked by streamer Janne “Gorgc” Stefanovski on July 19. Puppey only brought Remco “Crystallis” Arets from Secret for this “mission.” They were accompanied by regional pubstars Anas “MagE-” Hirzallah, Mohammad “AfrOmoush” Eis, and former Secret star Yazied “YapzOr” Jaradat.
Team Secret ME successfully navigated the open qualifier but now must contend with a final playoff against two other Western European DPC squads, Quest Esports and Nigma Galaxy, to qualify for Riyadh. These two teams were directly invited to the MENA qualifiers as they already had players from the region this season.
Related: Dota 2 Riyadh Masters: All teams, prize pool, and how to watch
Given Team Secret’s struggles in the 2023 season, Puppey’s competitive record is in danger. He has been going the extra mile to salvage the most out of this season. While attending Riyadh Masters 2023 without his main squad may not seem ideal, even failing to perform well at the event will earn Secret $50,000 USD, making Puppey’s efforts worthwhile.
After Riyadh, all focus will shift to TI12 in October 2023. Team Secret’s main squad will need to work their way through the regional qualifiers to make it to Seattle.