Team Spirit - The Champion's Formula. How the two-time The International winners play

Team Spirit, two-time Dota 2 world champions, winners of The International 2021 and The International 2023, and champions of Riyadh Masters 2025, are once again showcasing top form in the first half of 2025. The team performs confidently at major tier-one tournaments and reaffirms its status as one of the strongest teams on the pro scene. In this article, we’ll break down team's playstyle across all stages of the game early, mid, and late - as well as explore their economic strategies and tournament results over the past six months.

Early game (laning)

In the early game, Team Spirit prioritize reliability and discipline. The team aims to play safe and stable lanes, avoiding unnecessary mistakes while building a solid foundation for future moves across the map. When needed, they are patient in the opening minutes, focusing on farming and protecting their cores.

They rely on a well-coordinated support duo: captain Yaroslav Miposhka Naidenov and position 4 Alexander Rue Filin. As early as the 3-4 minute mark, the supports shift attention to the midlane - their job is to control runes and assist the mid player.

Often, Team Spirit build their early game strategy around the midlaner. Both supports secure active runes especially around the 6-minute mark and it’s common to see them rotate with midlaner Denis Larl Sigitov toward the enemy Wisdom Rune, trying to deny experience.

The goal of these movements is to create space and time for carry player Ilya Yatoro Mulyarchuk to farm. Rather than defending their safe lane, players focus on pressuring the opponent, forcing attention away from key farming areas. By the 10-minute mark, they often group up with the catapult to take down the enemy tower on either mid or safe lane.

Sometimes, aggression starts even earlier. At minute 5, team may initiate a fight at the midlane under the catapult or rotate their carry off the lane even Yatoro can join the attack via the (Twin Gate), applying pressure to the enemy's safe lane.

However, theirs laning approach is flexible. If the draft is greedier, they switch to a more defensive style, protecting towers and focusing on economy. For example, in second game of the Riyadh Masters 2025 grand final, they picked Medusa and avoided fights in favor of late-game scaling. But in third game, they went all-in from the start, dominated early skirmishes, and closed the match with a 48:13 score.

Example of aggressive play from the team, where even the carry rotated mid at 6 minutes:

Mid game

Midgame is the phase where Team Spirit make full use of their drafts. This is the point where the team transitions from stabilizing the lanes to systematically taking control of the map. Their playstyle is based on coordinated movement and proper map distribution. It’s rare to see any player acting alone during this stage, they operate as a single unit. Champions also avoid forcing fights without a clear reason. Their primary goal is to first gain control over territory especially around the Roshan pit if he's alive and only then look to take fights on their own terms.

If the enemy makes a mistake,"dragons" punish instantly. After a successful fight, the team typically does one of four things: secures the Aegis, pushes a tower, or takes over an area by placing vision that provides maximum map control and is difficult to deward. This disciplined, calm approach allows them to avoid chaos during the midgame and gradually push the opponent off the map.

A typical Team Spirit scenario in midgame is a 4v5 skirmish on their side of the map, where they kill several enemies with minimal losses. One example is the third and deciding game against Team Falcons in the grand final of Riyadh Masters 2025, where you can clearly see each player’s positioning and the fights around Roshan.

In the first image, we see the moment just before a crucial fight at the Roshan pit from Team Spirit's perspective. The team is fully prepared: they lead in net worth, all lanes are pushed deep, giving them full vision and awareness of the enemy's positions. Yatoro (Shadow Fiend) and Rue (Lion) are under smoke - a key tactical move that helps determine the direction of an incoming attack in advance. Shadow Fiend is positioned at the high ground ramp: if the enemy approaches from the right, the smoke will break, giving for them early info about the initiation. Nearby is Lion, ready to instantly protect the carry and interrupt the opponent’s move.

Miposhka, playing Clockwerk, holds the frontline. His role is to take the first hit and catch a key target. Behind him, perched on a tree, is Larl on Monkey King, controlling the zone and ready to jump in, stun the enemy, and activate his ultimate.

Despite Collapse being temporarily absent, theirs positioning remains perfect. The team controls every angle, prepared for flanks, and ready to start the fight on their own terms. This is a textbook example of their mid-to-late game: calm execution, vision control, and zone dominance.

Now let’s look at the situation from Team Falcons’ point of view and the contrast is striking. Their lanes aren’t pushed, the map is almost completely dark: no wards on enemy territory and no information about opponent positions.

In an attempt to gain at least some vision, Ammar ATF Al-Assaf on Razor uses Plasma Field to scout the high ground, spotting only one hero - Clockwerk played by Miposhka. Falcons act blindly: the entire team clumps together and initiates on Clockwerk, going up the high ground without vision or a clear plan. At that moment, they fully expose themselves and losing positioning, revealing their presence, and walking right into Team Spirit’s perfect counterplay.

You can see the result of that decision for yourself:

Late game

Late game is the key phase where Team Spirit fully shines. By this point, the team plays with maximum focus and confidence, fully aware of both their draft’s strengths and limitations. Their late-game approach revolves around controlling key areas of the map, such as the Roshan pit and high grounds. It’s also important to note that champions never act blindly and they always have at least a rough idea of enemy positions thanks to excellent vision.

The International winners are never in a rush. If the enemy draft favors initiation, they play defensively, positioning under their own vision and luring opponents into bad fights. If the situation is reversed, they patiently wait for the enemy to leave the base or walk into vision, only then initiating.

Yatoro becomes the central figure. Unlike many carry players, he’s not afraid to start fights himself when he sees an opening. If the opportunity isn’t there, he plays cautiously, staying on the edge of the fight and waiting for the perfect moment to strike, while the rest of the team maintains control.

Larl, as the midlaner, often plays the role of a tank. Rather than focusing on damage, he creates chaos in the enemy's formation. He’s often the first to go in, paving the way for his teammates to follow.

Collapse adapts to the situation: he can simply hold the frontline, baiting enemies to engage him, or he may be the one to initiate after discussing with the team which enemy should be the focus. The goal of the “dragons” is not to strike first, but to force the opponent into making a mistake.

It’s in the late game that Spirit’s composure is most evident. Even when trailing by 20–30 thousand gold, they remain calm. One successful teamfight is enough to flip the game and take full control of the map. This is made possible by their precise team coordination. Over the years, the players have mastered clear communication about target priorities and ability usage.

A perfect example is the match against Natus Vincere at PGL Wallachia Season 5, where even with their Ancient exposed, the team stayed coordinated, used their abilities flawlessly, and eventually won the game to advance to the playoffs.

Economy and farming

The economic aspect of Team Spirit’s play deserves special attention. The team is known for its ability to distribute resources across the map efficiently and squeeze out every bit of gold and experience - even in tight spaces. Typically, the primary farming role is handled by carry Yatoro, with Collapse often becoming the secondary core. The midlaner and supports usually take on playmaking roles, focusing on setting the tempo and creating space. Supports often sacrifice their own farm for the team’s success. For example, Miposhka is known for ending games with very low net worth while still providing massive impact through positioning and high-value vision.

At times, team willingly opt for risky economic strategies to scale into the late game. One clear example is the deciding game of the The International 2023 grand final, which they won. The team bought two Hand of Midas items on their cores, investing into long-term gold gains. This temporarily weakened their power during the early and midgame and put them behind in economy, but they avoided major mistakes and held off pressure until the Midas items paid off. The players spread the enemy thin across the map, maintaining farm on all three cores despite enemy aggression. Eventually, they closed the gap and pulled ahead. This kind of approach requires strong coordination and trust, which this team has in abundance.

It’s important to note that "dragons" efficiency isn’t just about gold generation, but also about how they use it. They’re masters of timing - often getting key items earlier than the opponent, which helps them win pivotal fights. Every item serves a purpose, whether it’s an early Blink Dagger on Collapse for initiation or a fast Black King Bar on Larl for survivability. They invest in what gives them the greatest advantage in the current phase of the game. Once they secure an economic lead, "dragons" turn it into map control and ultimately, victory.

A great example of their precise timing and synergy can be seen in game one versus Team Falcons in the Riyadh Masters 2025 grand final. As soon as Collapse gets his Assault Cuirass, the team immediately uses Smoke and heads toward Roshan. This was a pre-planned move — they intentionally avoided fighting until the item was ready, and once it was, they pushed for a fight that could secure both a win and the Aegis of the Immortal.

Playing around item timings is one of the pillars of Team Spirit’s philosophy. They never force fights without proper tools and always aim to maximize the outcome of each successful engagement - be it map control, Roshan, or space to farm.

Performances at major tournaments over the past six months

Over the past six months, Team Spirit have consistently placed among the top teams at every major tournament:

• March 2025 - 1st place at DreamLeague Season 25
• April - 2nd place at ESL One Raleigh
• May - top 4 at BLAST Slam III
• June - top 4 at PGL Wallachia Season 5
• July - champions at Riyadh Masters 2025.

At Riyadh Masters 2025, the team lost only one map during the group stage and then went on an 11-match win streak. In the grand final, they swept Team Falcons 3:0. On their way to the title, they confidently defeated Gaimin Gladiators and PARIVISION. Magomed Collapse Khalilov was named MVP of the tournament, and captain Yaroslav Miposhka Naidenov admitted the final was easier than he had expected.

Today, Team Spirit are among the top favorites for The International 2025 and strong contenders for a third Aegis. The team has reclaimed its position as the best in the world and continues to build its Dota dynasty.