Dota 2: Underdogs TSpirit bag TI10 title, take home $18.2M prize

Kevin Alabaso, ABS-CBN News

Posted at Oct 19 2021 12:50 AM

Team Spirit is the TI10 grand champion, taking home more than $18.2 million. Wykrhm Reddy
Team Spirit is the TI10 grand champion, taking home more than $18.2 million. Wykrhm Reddy

The International 10 (TI10), Dota 2's biggest annual tournament, concluded with Russia-based Team Spirit claiming the grand prize of $18.2 million (estimated P900 million).

Their journey towards the top was a Cinderella story as they faced several roadblocks, including facing 3 fan favorites and several veteran players.

The championship wasn't the only thing they achieved, as they also eliminated back-to-back champions OG and veterans Team Secret before they advanced to the finals.

In the finals, a best-of-5 series between Team Spirit and PSG.LGD was set and the Europeans immediately took 2 games, leaving China's best representative hanging in the balance in the third game.

Although PSG.LGD bounced back and won the third and fourth games, Team Spirit charged ahead in the fifth and final game to win the series.

Team Spirit will also go down in DOTA 2's pro player history as one of the teams with the youngest players in the tournament.

Spirit won a total of $18,208,300 while runner-up PSG.LGD takes home $5,202,400.

Team Spirit's roster is made up of Illya "Yatoro" Mulyarchuk, Alexander "TORONTOTOKYO" Khertek, Magomed "Collapse" Khalilov, Miroslaw "Mira" Kolpakov, and team captain Yaroslav "Miposhka" Naidenov.

All-Filipino teams were absent in TI10 as TNC Predator failed to qualify but Filipino players were present in the tournament as they were featured in the rosters of international teams.

Among the Filipino players present in the tournament were "Abed" Azel Yusop (Evil Geniuses), Carlo "Kuku" Palad and "Karl" Baldovino (T1), and Marc Polo Luis "Raven" Fausto and Djardel "DJ" Mampusti (Fnatic).