Russian Team Spirit advances to the finals of IEM Cologne 2025 tournament
Russian esports team Team Spirit has triumphed in the Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Cologne 2025, securing their place in the final against the winner of the match between French team Team Vitality and German team MOUZ.
This victory marks the third prestigious Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) title for Team Spirit, following their wins at IEM Katowice 2024 and the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024. The champion of IEM Cologne 2025 will take home a prize of $400,000.
The team's journey to the IEM Cologne 2025 title began with a semi-final victory over Natus Vincere (Na'Vi) with a score of 2:1. The match scores were 13:11 on Mirage, 9:13 on Nuke, and 13:6 on Ancient. In the grand final, they swept MOUZ 3-0, with the scores on Anubis, Nuke, Dust 2, and Mirage being 14:16, 13:6, 13:3, and 13:8 respectively.
Team Spirit's rise to the top tier of CS2 within just two years of their first major wins has been nothing short of remarkable. Their major accomplishments include winning IEM Katowice 2024, the BLAST Premier Spring Final 2024, the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 (their first Major title), PGL Astana 2025, and now IEM Cologne 2025.
The team's roster includes Leonid 'chopper' Vishnyakov, Danil 'donk' Kryshkovets, Dmitriy 'sh1ro' Sokolov, Ivan 'zweih' Gogin, and Miroslav 'zont1x' Plahotniuk. The arrival of Ivan 'zweih' Gogin, who replaced longtime member Boris "magixx" Vorobyev mid-2025, has been instrumental in their success.
Young star Danil "Donk" Kryshkovets has been a standout player, earning MVP honours at these big events and cementing his status as one of the world's best.
This swift accumulation of top titles underscores Team Spirit’s emergence as a dominant force in the CS2 esports scene. The team's success in IEM Cologne 2025 completes their collection of the most prestigious CS2 titles: IEM Katowice, IEM Cologne, and a Major Championship.
The competition for IEM Cologne 2025 had a prize fund of $1 million, and the prize for winning the BLAST Bounty Spring 2025 tournament was $288,125. Team Spirit defeated Eternal Fire from Turkey in the final of the BLAST Bounty Spring 2025 tournament with a score of 3:1.
Team Spirit's journey in CS2 has been nothing short of extraordinary. From their first major win at IEM Katowice 2024 to their latest triumph at IEM Cologne 2025, they have consistently proven their dominance in premier CS2 tournaments. With their young talents and experienced players, Team Spirit is undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with in the world of CS2 esports.
- SuCCesful in securing a victory at the IEM Cologne 2025, Team Spirit exhibits their dominance not only in Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) but also in major European leagues such as the Champions League, given their recent triumphs in IEM Katowice and a Major Championship.
- The upcoming Champions League season will undoubtedly bring exciting matches as teams, including Team Spirit, continue to showcase their skills in premier football competitions, drawing parallels with the success these Russian esports athletes have achieved in CS2.
