'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
In a historic moment, OG cemented themselves as the greatest DotA 2 team to ever play the game by winning The International 2019. With this win, OG not only became the first-ever team to win multiple TI's but also became the first-ever team to win back to back TI's repeating their performance at The International 2018.
Johan "N0tail" Sundstein, Jesse "Jerax" Vainikka, Sebastien "Ceb" Debs, Topias "Topson" Taavitsainen and Anathan "ana" Pham won $15.6 million in prize money. The 5 players are now the 5 highest-earning players in Esports history and have firmly etched their names in the history books.
OG didn't have the best of seasons as they missed 3 of the 5 Majors in the DotA Pro Circuit 2018-19. The bad performances came off the back of Ana taking a break from professional DotA. However, with his return, OG managed decent results in the final 2 Majors of the season and secured an invite to The International. The rest, as they say, is history.
The Grand Finals
The Grand Finals was played between Team Liquid and OG, the winners of the last two Internationals.
Liquid had fought their way through the Lower Bracket winning 6 matches in a row. They dropped only one game in their Lower Bracket Finals to PSG.LGD Gaming, the hometown favourites. Liquid beat Fnatic, TNC Predator, Evil Geniuses, Royal Never Give Up, Team Secret and PSG.LGD in their amazing lower bracket run. After beating PSG.LGD in a hard-fought best of 3 series, Liquid booked their spot in the Grand Finals against defending Champions OG.
OG had topped their group remaining undefeated in matches and dropping just two games. The managed victories over Newbee, Evil Geniuses, and PSG.LGD to reach the Grand Finals in a repeat of last year's run. In their triumph at TI8, OG had beaten these exact 3 teams on their way to the Grand Finals, albeit against a slightly different Newbee line-up. After beating PSG.LGD in the Upper Bracket Finals, OG found themselves against Team Liquid in the final match of the tournament.
Game 1: Liquid started game 1 on the front foot as they took the fight to OG with W33ha's Meepo leading the charge. OG fought back but the alongside Miracle's Templar Assassin, Liquid's carries proved to be too strong for OG as Liquid took the game in 48 minutes thus taking a 1-0 lead in the Best of 5 series.
Game 2: OG changed up their game plan in game 2 as they picked heroes well within their comfort zones. Instead of farming and playing time, OG took the fight back to Liquid. This proved disastrous for Liquid as their heroes crumbled under Topson's Monkey King and Ana's Ember Spirit. OG tied the series 1-1 in 32 minutes after absolutely stomping Liquid.
Game 3: OG drafted a similar line-up for heroes with Topson's signature Pugna leading the charge. This game managed to be even more brutal for Liquid as Topson, Ana (on his Faceless Void) and Jerax (on his Tiny) absolutely destroyed Liquid. As a result, Liquid were forced to call GG after just 23 minutes. OG took the lead 2-1.
Game 4: With their tournament life on the line, Liquid moved away from their usual drafting pattern and drafted a line-up more suited to playing against OG's hyper-aggressive style. However, Liquid managed to get the upper hand for just under 15 minutes as Topson's Gyrocopter and Ana's, now infamous, IO absolutely ripped Liquid's line-up apart. Liquid called GG after 24 minutes giving OG the 3-1 victory.
With the power of Friendship by their side, OG went on to make history by winning not just one but two Internationals back to back. Not only are they legends, but they are also undoubtedly the greatest team to ever play DotA 2.
Once again, Congratulations to N0tail, Ceb, Ana, Jerax and Topson.
