Each TI has unique stories unfolding even before the main event has started. Last year for example, a team nobody really knew from before, CDEC Gaming shocked everyone with their amazing run from Wild Card to TI5 grand finals.
CDEC’s inspirational story has influenced the scene and changed most of the teams’ approach for the next competitive year. Numerous youngsters have been introduced to the pro scene which makes this year’s International the one with the most new players coming to KeyArena.
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The two European teams considered favourites at TI6, OG and Team Liquid, both have players who will be debuting on the big stage in KeyArena. Winners of the Frankfurt and Manila Majors, OG have two players who have not attended a TI previously. One of them is the 9k MMR, insanely high-skilled prodigy Amer 'Miracle-' Al-Barkawi, whom many consider to be OG’s strongest asset, and Denmark’s Andreas Franck 'Cr1t-' Nielsen, who has consistently performed well in major tournaments and has left audiences in awe with his Earth Spirit plays.
Rivals of OG and finalists of the last two majors, 5JuNGz have emerged as one of the strongest teams in the world since they were picked up by Liquid. Yet, much like OG, Liquid contains two players who will be playing at TI for the first time this August. These two players are none other than their offlaner - Ivan 'MinD_ContRoL' Borislavov - and their safe laner - Lasse 'MATUMBAMAN' Urpalainen, who have been an integral part of their team’s recent successes. With their aggressive play style, coupled with their composed attitudes and team unity, they have proven time and again that they are a force to be reckoned with.
The CIS fan favourites wand first team to ever win a TI, Natus Vincere will return to the International for the sixth time this year, having been directly invited to it after successively placing well in recent LANs. While Danil 'Dendi' Ishutin has attended all editions of the International, some of their players such as Dmitry 'Ditya Ra' Minenkov and Victor 'GeneRaL' Nigrini would be debuting in it this year. Often enthusiastically supported by their sizeable following, the crowd’s chants often boost their morale rather than pressurizing them. Yet, having the hopes of millions resting on their shoulders and delivering to expectations is a tough task, especially for those who are not used to it. Perseverance, dedication and team synergy will be vital for Na’Vi’s success, as it has always been.
The second qualifier spot for Europe was taken by the Swedish team Alliance after they defeated the newly formed Escape Gaming in the Grand Finals. While Alliance have reformed the roster that won them TI3, Escape Gaming have two relatively new players in Maurice 'KheZu' Gutmann and Yazied 'YapzOr' Jaradat who have never even attended a Major, let alone an International. One would imagine that the influence of the massive crowd could be a key determinant in their performance, and a hurdle they would have to overcome to progress in tournament, as it would be the team’s first experience of playing at a major LAN event after DreamLeague, where they placed fourth.
Yet, experienced or not, it is a fact that all players who make it to The International are the best of the best and certainly do not concede without a fight. History holds example of this in the Chinese CDEC Gaming who made it to last year’s International through the wild-cards and managed to battle their way up to the grand finals, a feat no one had predicted them to achieve. May the best team win!
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