The Story of Team Liquid Dota 2: Breaking The Second-Place Curse

Team Liquid has finally claimed their long coveted Aegis in The International 2024 (TI13)! Maintaining a performance that is nothing short of flawless throughout the whole tournament, the European powerhouse emerged victorious among 16 teams, breaking free from the infamous “second-place curse”.

Held in Copenhagen, Denmark, TI13 witnessed Team Liquid dominate Gaimin Gladiators with a 3-0 clean sweep in the grand finals. This triumph granted the organization their second—and this roster their first—Aegis of Champions. It especially marks a significant milestone for Team Liquid’s current roster, as their victory in Dota 2’s biggest annual event ends their streak of near-misses in major tournaments.

A History of Close Calls

Always so close, but never fully there. Team Liquid’s consistent high performance in major tournaments raises no doubt about their extreme skill. However, they seem to always fall short of getting championship titles in major tournaments and thus often end up as second-placers.

The team had finished second in seven major tournaments since Michał “Nisha” Jankowski’s addition to the team in 2023. Interestingly, their TI13 grand finals rival Gaimin Gladiators were the ones that forced Liquid to raise silver trophies in five of these tournaments.

First beating Team Liquid 3-0 at the Lima Major 2023, Gaimin then continued bagging championship titles in DreamLeague Season 19, ESL One Berlin, Bali Major 2023, and Riyadh Masters 2024. Liquid also placed second in Riyadh Master 2023 and BetBoom Dacha Dubai 2024. 

The Road to the Aegis

Entering TI13, Team Liquid had to face the pressure of their past shortcomings. Fans were anxious about the “second-place curse”, worried that the team will suffer another grand finals loss. However, Liquid dominated the playoffs without ever dropping a single match and marched decisively toward the Aegis by taking every game in the Bo3 grand finals.

The team’s strategic drafting and gameplay became their key to victory. MiCKe’s Nature’s Prophet, along with amazing support plays from Boxi’s Tusk and Insania’s Shadow Demon, brought Team Liquid wins in all three games. They were able to control the game’s pace, adapt to Gaimin’s strategies, and execute tide-turning ambushes toward their long-awaited triumph.

The Winning Roster

Team Liquid’s championship lineup consisted of:

• Neta “33” Shapira (captain)
• Michael “MiCKe” Vu
• Michał “Nisha” Jankowski
• Samuel “Boxi” Svahn
• Aydin “Insania” Sarkohi

The original roster of Team Liquid left the organization to form Nigma Galaxy in 2019. MiCKe, Boxi, and Insania, who have been teammates in the Alliance since 2017, became the team’s new core players. Their already established relationship deepened their trust and understanding for each other, helping them build a strong foundation for the team. 

Nisha and 33, who joined in late 2022 and 2023 respectively, were just the final pieces Team Liquid needed. His tactics and skill in Team Secret has also almost earned Nisha a TI championship before, but he found his place in Team Liquid. 33, a former player for Team Tundra whom he got his first Aegis with, completed the team with his experience and leadership.

Since William “Blitz” Lee joined as their coach in 2019, he has maintained his faith in the team, becoming the crucial support they needed to overcome setbacks. 

Breaking the Curse: Persevering Towards Glory

Team Liquid has struggled to lay claim to major Dota 2 events’ golden trophies since the original roster’s TI7 championship. A lot of near-misses and consecutive close calls has earned them a reputation for being “unlucky” in tournament grand finals. The road surely wasn’t easy, as frustration and doubt are bound to haunt almost-champions.

Will their years of faith and perseverance be enough to turn the tide, or will their streak of being second-bests continue into another cursed grand finals?

Fortunately, the team’s unity and trust in each other proved to be insurmountable in the face of worry and hesitation. With impressive strategies, a solid teamwork, and a stellar performance, the glory is at last for Team Liquid to bask in. The complete turnaround in this year’s The International had them asserting their dominance when it mattered the most, finally turning the ever-elusive odds in their favor.