With the TI9 looming, The International Pro Circuit Top 5 Teams are all but certain.
Battle Pass owners and cunning Internet detectives can see which teams from the pro circuit have qualified for TI9. While the competition further down the list is hot, the top 5 teams have secured enough of a lead over their rivals that their place in the top 5 is all but secure.
The top 12 teams at the end of the season automatically secure a place at The International 2019 and competition for the top spots is always fierce. Read on as we reveal The International Pro Circuit top 5 teams.
5. PSG.LDG
The predominantly Chinese Dota team have had a strong 2019 season so far. They took 4th in The Chongqing Major and 3rd in the recent ESL One Birmingham. In the latter, they were eliminated by eventual winners Team Secret in thrilling best of 3.
Their captain, Xu “fy” Linsen, even made it into our top 10 best Dota 2 pro players list. With strong leadership and a cohesive, multi-national team, PSG.LDG are looking good going into TI 2019.
4. Vici Gaming
Another Chinese organization, Vici Gaming have been prolific in the 2019 season so far. They secured top 3 finishes in several tournaments earlier in the year with a strong showing against major competition. This includes their first-place finish in both the StarLadder Minor and DreamLeague competitions. The combined prize money for these tournaments alone was over $450,000 US.
Despite 2nd and 3rd place finishes at previous Internationals, Vici Gaming has never lifted the Aegis. With their position at this year’s tournament all but secured, fans can expect the Chinese team to be hungry for gold this year.
3. Evil Geniuses
The only North American team on this list, Evil Geniuses have more than earned their place. As a team, they have rarely finished lower than 3rd in any tournament they have entered this season. This includes a 2nd place finish at the MDL Disneyland Paris Major. It was during this tournament that Syed Sumail “SumaiL” Hassan dominated a game against NiP. He went 19/0/7 on Morphling, a hero he had never previously played as in competitive Dota.
A 2nd place finish at this month’s ESL One Birmingham Major secured their place as one of The International Pro Circuit top 5 teams. With talent like SumaiL and Artour “Arteezy” Babaev on the team, fans can look forward to great things from EG. They will certainly be a team to watch with interest during The International this year.
2. Virtus.pro
Virtus.pro are a predominantly Russian team who have performed exceptionally well in this season’s tournaments. They qualified 1st in their region for both the MDL Disneyland Paris and DreamLeague tournaments. They were able to secure a 2nd place finish in the latter, losing out to Vici Gaming 3:2 in the final.
Their captain, Roman “RAMZES666” Kushnarev, is a man who leads from the front. His preferred position is 1 and despite being just 20 he was the first Russian player to hit 10k MMR. However, despite their success this season, Virtus.pro has never finished inside the top 3 of an International tournament. How will this comparative lack of success on the main stage impact their performance in The International this year?
1. Team Secret
Team Secret have been absolutely dominant this season and few teams have been able to stand against them. So far this year, Secret have finished 1st in The Chongqing Major, ESL One Katowice, MDL Disneyland Paris Major and ESL One Birmingham 2019. Their prize money from this season so far is already over $1M USD.
Right now Team Secret are firmly placed at the top of the European Dota scene. Their top position on the list of The International Pro Circuit top 5 teams is evidence enough of their dominance. Even more amazingly, they have achieved this with no two members on the team being from the same country.
If we were in the habit of making predictions, we would say that Team Secret are firm favorites for TI19. Fans should super excited to see how they perform on the big stage in August.
The Stage is Set
While the rankings are not absolutely set in stone, at the time of writing it’s all but certain that these teams will remain in the top 5 on points. This year’s International will feature all of the giants of the sport. We absolutely cannot wait for the tournament to get underway on August 20th.
Which team do you think will lift the Aegis this year? Who are you most excited to hear cast the finals? Let us know in the comments below.
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