Viktor "Cheatbanned" Agarok, a content creator from Russia, commented on Team Spirit’s defeat at The International 2024 during his personal Twitch stream.
He described their performance as weak, acknowledging that while Team Spirit was underperforming, Xtreme Gaming also played well. He felt that Team Spirit was expected to lose 0:2 and that winning a single map was due to a bit of luck.
Agarok expressed his disappointment, suggesting that Team Spirit should have been better prepared for such a high-profile tournament as The International. He likened the situation to a top footballer failing to score a penalty and blaming the pitch, arguing that professional players should adapt and prepare for the meta.
He speculated that there might be roster changes but didn’t believe in a complete disbandment of the team. He mentioned that while prize pools of $10 million to $30 million have become the norm, a $2.5 million prize pool is still substantial, and the tournament remains prestigious. Agarok dismissed the idea that Team Spirit’s loss was due to the lower prize pool, suggesting it was not a valid excuse.
The International 2024 is being held from 4 to 15 September in Copenhagen, Denmark, with 16 teams competing. The prize pool for the tournament exceeds $2.4 million and continues to grow through compendium sales.