The International's Winning teams and biggest moments
The International is one of those major esport tournaments that are very competitive; the race for the prize is stiffer than you can imagine. Since the first edition in 2011, only one team has managed to be crowned champions twice. Other winners have only been recognized once. Here are the winners and the most significant moments in the tournament's history.
Natus Vincere
This was the first team to test The International title. Its NaVi won the first edition in 2011. In this final, the team defeated EHOME 3-1 to lift the title. Featuring in this team were Puppey (Clement), a legendary Dota 2 player who has participated in the tournament more than any other individual.
Others included XBOCT, Artstyle, and Dendi. Taking home a staggering US$1 million from a $1.6 million grand prize is something the team will never forget; we won't let it go either.
And while the team has not won the title a second time, it has constantly been harassing its opponents, ensuring they have to run for their money. The fact that NaVi went all the way to the final the following year (2012) says it all.
Invictus Gaming
Wrestling the title from the first edition champions was not easy, and that perhaps highlights how strong this team was at the time. During this final, Invictus Gaming defeated Natus Vincere 3-1, taking home a grand prize of US$1 million.
Alliance
This was the tournament's best team in 2013. Like Invictus Gaming, Alliance was given a run for their money by none other than Natus Vincere, and they were the first European team to win the tournament. They defeated their opponents 3-1, and taking home a $1.4 million prize was spectacular. Players here included Akke, Loda, EGM, AdmiralBulldog, and s4. This third edition is what put The International on the global map in terms of popularity.
Newbee
With the tournament's popularity having soared the previous year, Newbee was seeking the crown against a backdrop of a highly publicized competition. And while the tournament was hosted in Washington, an away ground did not stand in the way of Newbee. In this edition (2014), the finalists were entirely new, with Newbee on the one hand and Vici Gaming on the other.
The former would beat the latter 3-1, taking a whopping US$5,025,029 and reasserting China's dominance in the competition.
Other winners
2015: Evil Geniuses
2016: Wings Gaming
2017: Team Liquid
2018: OG
2019: OG
