- Sarah
Article
10:47, 02.12.2024
The International is the highest ceiling in Dota 2, the goal of every professional player, and the most noble Dota 2 title you can hold. Every year, TI pits the world's best teams and rewards the champion with the Aegis of Champions
A total of 13 TIs have been held from 2011 until today. The only exception was 2020, when the world pandemic happened and a TI in Romania was cancelled. The supposed tenth TI proceeded next year.
A total of 13 TIs, ten winning teams, and a total of 55 individual winners who have lifted the Aegis of Champions. Find out all their names below!
TI 2011: Natus Vincere (NAVI)
- Ivan "Artstyle" Antonov
- Danil "Dendi" Ishutin
- Oleksandr "XBOCT" Dashkevych
- Clement "Puppey" Ivanov
- Dmitriy "LighTofHeaveN" Kupriyanov
Natus Vincere or NAVI for short, was the first to cement its name on the back of the Aegis of Champions. The Ukrainian team has spread its black-and-yellow colors in style as they easily snatched the first championship title.
The team secured the title of the first TI winners on August 21, 2011 in front of the Cologne audience in Germany. NAVI became the first to win 1 million dollars, not only in Dota 2 but also in esports history.
TI 2012: Invictus Gaming
- Chen "Zhou" Yao
- Luo "Ferrari_430" Feichi
- Jiang "YYF" Cen
- Wong "ChuaN" Hock Chuan
- Zeng "Faith" Hongda
Since the first TI, it has always been a China vs the world event. The country proved their strength as Invictus Gaming proceeded to win the next championship. IG was the first to win in front of the Seattle crowd, the home-crowd for Valve. IG brought home the same amount of a million dollars following their triumph on September 02, 2012.
TI 2013: Alliance
- Jonathan "Loda" Berg
- Gustav "s4" Magnusson
- Henrik "AdmiralBulldog" Ahnberg
- Jerry "EGM" Lundkvist
- Joakim "Akke" Akterhall
The third TI has to be one of the most iconic runs in Dota 2 history. Swedish team, Alliance, delivered an upset to bring down former TI champions NAVI in the most fashionable way. It was the time when the entire world witnessed the birth of "rat dota" - a tactic where players sneakily push the waves and claim objectives while the enemy is distracted or occupied in fights.
Alliance lifted the Aegis during the night of August 11, 2013. Another victory in Seattle, and an increased $1.4 million rewarded to the champions.
TI 2014: NEWBEE
- Chen "Hao" Zhihao
- Zhang "Mu" Pan
- Zhang "xiao8" Ning
- Wang "Banana" Jiao
- Wang "SanSheng" Zhaohui
The rivalry continued in the realm of Dota 2 as a Chinese team prevailed in the next TI. NEWBEE wasn't quite a part of the favorites, but they showed incredible adaptability as they learn from their opponents and conquer the meta towards the end.
NEWBEE triumphed in front of almost 17,000 people in the KeyArena at Seattle Center. But unlike their predecessors, NEWBEE grabbed a whopping $5 million in prize money.
TI 2015: Evil Geniuses
- Clinton "Fear" Loomis
- Sumail "SumaiL" Hassan
- Saahil "Universe" Arora
- Kurtis "Aui_2000" Ling
- Peter "ppd" Dager
TI5 was a momentous occasion for North American fans. Evil Geniuses dominated the championship, not only securing the title but also setting a remarkable record. Their midlaner, SumaiL, became the youngest player ever to win The International, achieving this feat at just 16 years old. One of their most iconic moments from the tournament gave rise to the legendary phrase, "Six-million-dollar Echo Slam!"
EG took home a total of $6.6 million, with each player earning over a million dollars. Their names were forever etched on the Aegis of Champions after their triumphant victory on August 8, 2015.
TI 2016: WINGS
- Chu "Aventador" Zeyu
- Zhou "bLink" Yang
- Zhang "Faith_bian" Ruida
- Zhang "y`" Yiping
- Li "iceice" Peng
No other champions in Dota history boast such an intimidating and revered legacy as Wings Gaming. This Chinese powerhouse stunned their opponents at TI with their incredible versatility and exceptional drafting skills, leaving few weaknesses to exploit. Who else could pull off picking both Pudge and Techies in a Grand Final match? Their bold, fearless strategy set a new standard for dominance.
Wings triumphed at TI on August 13, 2016, claiming a staggering $9.1 million. The prize pool continued to grow, showing no signs of slowing down.
TI 2017: Team Liquid
- Lasse "MATUMBAMAN" Urpalainen
- Amer "Miracle-" Al-Barkawi
- Ivan "MinD_ContRoL" Ivanov
- Maroun "GH" Merhej
- Kuro "KuroKy" Salehi Takhasomi
Team Liquid, particularly the iconic Kuroky-led roster, is one of the most beloved teams in Dota 2 history. Their star player, Miracle-, entered the scene with a reputation already cemented through his sensational pub plays and victories with OG. While every member of the team made their mark throughout the tournament, Miracle- was undoubtedly the crowd's favorite.
Team Liquid made an unforgettable lower bracket run to eventually claim victory at TI7. It was just before the final series that Miracle- famously coined his iconic phrase, "upper bracket is for b*tches."
The team triumphed in front of the passionate Seattle crowd on August 12, 2017, taking home an impressive $10.8 million.
TI 2018: OG
- Anathan "ana" Pham
- Topias "Topson" Taavitsainen
- Sébastien "Ceb" Debs
- Jesse "JerAx" Vainikka
- Johan "N0tail" Sundstein
TI8 is widely regarded as one of the best TIs in history, particularly in terms of its captivating storyline. For the first time in many years, Valve moved the main event out of Seattle, hosting it in Vancouver, Canada. While the event was filled with compelling narratives, none were as cinematic as OG’s journey.
With the release of the True Sight documentary, which now boasts over 16 million views on YouTube, OG's story of friendship and perseverance captured the hearts of Dota 2 fans and beyond. We all know well the phrase"Win together, lose together, slay together", among many more from the documentary.
Known for their resilience in even the most dire situations, OG delivered unforgettable comebacks and triumphs throughout TI8. They were the ultimate underdogs who earned a well-deserved $11.2 million on August 25, 2018.
TI 2019: OG
- ana
- Topson
- Ceb
- JerAx
- N0tail
And can you believe.. they did it again! OG became the first organization in history to not only win two TIs, but to do so back-to-back with the same roster. Unlike the previous year, OG came to TI this year with confidence and vision. They were ready to obliterate anyone in their paths - even with a meta-defying IO carry.
OG defeated Team Liquid in the finals on August 25, 2019 earning $15.6 million. The back-to-back victories quickly catapulted all OG players to the top of the esports earnings list, a position they still hold to this day.
TI 2021: Team Spirit
- Illya "Yatoro" Mulyarchuk
- Alexander "TORONTOTOKYO" Khertek
- Magomed "Collapse" Khalilov
- Myroslav "Mira" Kolpakov
- Yaroslav "Miposhka" Naidenov
The next TI was unlike any before it. Valve was forced to postpone TI10 for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, it became the first TI to be held without a crowd after an unexpected outbreak in Romania. Despite the absence of fans, the intensity of the Dota 2 action that year more than made up for the silence in the stadium.
Collapse’s legendary Magnus plays and Yatoro’s rampage-machine carries stole the spotlight. In a thrilling five-game series, they defeated the tournament favorites, PSG.LGD. Team Spirit’s victory marked a historic moment, as they claimed the largest prize pool in esports history, taking home an astounding $18.2 million on October 17, 2021.
TI 2022: Tundra Esports
- Oliver "skiter" Lepko
- Leon "Nine" Kirilin
- Neta "33" Shapira
- Martin "Saksa" Sazdov
- Jingjun "Sneyking" Wu
TI11 in Singapore delivered many intense matches, but the grand finals were an absolute domination. Tundra Esports outclassed, outmaneuvered, and outsmarted Team Secret, giving them almost no opportunity to secure a victory.
Each year, fans eagerly anticipate the standout hero-player combination of the tournament. In 2022, however, Tundra Esports’ brilliance stemmed from an item—the Wraith Pact. This aura-based damage-reducing item was powerful, but in the hands of 33, it became nearly unstoppable, as his heroes perfectly complemented Wraith Pact's unique functionality.
While the item has since been nerfed and almost entirely removed from the game, Tundra Esports remains a formidable force. Unfortunately, this year also saw a decline in TI's prize pool, as Valve adopted a new approach to battle passes. Nonetheless, Tundra still walked away with an impressive $8.5 million on October 30, 2022.
TI 2023: Team Spirit
- Yatoro
- Denis "Larl" Sigitov
- Collapse
- Mira
- Miposhka
In 2023, TI returned to Seattle after four years away. Team Spirit became the second team to win two TIs, but they did so with a slight change in their roster. The new midlaner, Larl, had replaced TORONTOTOKYO in the team. Although many in the community had doubts that he could fill in the former champion shoes, he did so in his own style in 2023.
Larl had a more team-based approach to the midlane, and played more sacrificial moves to let his other cores shine. He managed to enter the Aegis of Champions lineup, alongside his teammates who now has two championships to their names. This year saw yet another decline in prize money, and Team Spirit grabbed a humble $1.5 million on October 29, 2023.
TI 2024: Team Liquid
- Michael "miCKe" Vu
- Michał "Nisha" Jankowski
- 33
- Samuel "Boxi" Svahn
- Aydin "Insania" Sarkohi
The most recent TI took place in Copenhagen, Denmark, where the circus-themed stage set the backdrop for intense matches and emotional storylines. This year, Team Liquid lifted the Aegis, showcasing not only their exceptional skills but also their long-term commitment and perseverance.
The team had not won a single LAN tournament in years, often falling short when it mattered most. For several consecutive events, Team Liquid placed second, and it became a familiar outcome. Fans dubbed it a curse, but Liquid viewed it as a challenge. Despite the setbacks, the team remained united, ultimately overcoming all their opponents with ease, including their long-time rivals, Gaimin Gladiators, in the grand finals.
With this victory, Team Liquid became the third organization to win a TI, and 33 joined the ranks of two-time champions. The team earned $1.2 million on the night of September 14, 2024.
Upcoming Top Matches
Comments