How the Underdogs at OG Won $11 Million

OG has defied the odds and taken the Aegis of Champions.

A week before The International 2018, the majority of Dota 2 fans couldn’t have seen OG as their TI champions. The team brought a strong stack through both the open and regional qualifiers, taking the sole available qualifying spot in the European region.

To the surprise of fans, analysts, and even other pro teams, OG took their momentum and ran with it all the way to a TI championship. Each player had a key role in this success.

Anathan “ana” Pham

After a brief hiatus from the pro Dota 2 scene, Ana came back stronger than ever for OG. The team’s MVP in the deciding series versus PSG LGD, Ana found himself atop the Dota world after his TI8 win. The community has had only praise for his intelligent plays that brought home the top prize of over $11 million.  

Topias “Topson” Taavitsainen

Topson’s did not fail to impress at his first major LAN event. The most interesting thing about him is that before this amazing run, his approximate career earnings were totaled at only $3,790. Now, he has more than $2 million in earnings to his name. Mainstream Finnish news media took notice, and Topson has achieved local celebrity status after having been an unknown player just a few months ago.

Sébastien “Ceb” Debs

Ceb lost prominence as an active player in 2015. He found his calling as OG’s coach and greatly contributed to OG’s four major titles. In early 2018, he played as OG’s stand-in before becoming the team’s official offlaner. Ceb proves that it’s never too late for a player to earn the Aegis of Champions. The French Dota stalwart’s success is likely to keep him playing for the foreseeable future.

Jesse “JerAx” Vainikka

At his fourth International, JerAx did not disappoint with his impressive support plays. His play was deservedly highlighted throughout The International, as his consistent roams and sharp initiations set the table for OG’s success.

Johan “N0tail” Sundstein

OG captain N0tail had a rough time rebuilding the team just a few short weeks before the TI open qualifiers, but N0tail and his teammates managed a successful rebuild without compare. With a keen eye for finding the right talent, N0tail’s efforts were as important as those of anyone on OG. And he might just have been fueled by a desire to prove wrong his former teammates that had left him for greener pastures at Evil Geniuses.