On his personal Telegram channel, Russian analyst, streamer, and former professional player Alexander "Santa" Koltan shared his insights and predictions for today's matches in the Western European qualifiers for The International 2024.
“European qualifiers are heating up! Today we have both winners and losers playing. The pressure is intense, and it’s not just because of the heat. Yesterday, Mousesports got knocked out by a carry Pudge (a beast that’s hard to counter). It’s sad to see Mousesports, a tag that once stood alongside giants like SK Gaming, MYM, Fnatic, and EHOME, reduced to a shadow of its former glory—at least in Dota. They say they’re still strong in CS:GO. Meanwhile, Miracle got a birthday gift in the form of a 2:0 victory, and KBU EU was beaten 2-0 by Quest, despite their signature Necrophos pick by Highlander not saving them. Back to Twitch, baby.”
Schedule:
- Tundra vs Team Secret 11:00;
- Entity vs OG 14:00;
- NaVi J vs Dandelions 17:00;
- Quest vs Nigma Galaxy 20:00.
Santa will be commentating on the first match and analyzing the second. He considers himself fortunate to have witnessed these battles firsthand.
“1. Tundra vs Team Secret:
Tundra is extremely dangerous, nominally the top team in the qualifiers. They even look stronger than their rivals Entity, who were considered on par with them before the start. With Topson adapting to the new patch and Ramzes remembering how to play position three, plus Pure as captain showing immense composure—Dota loves the brave. Against them is Clement "You can’t catch him" Ivanov, better known as Puppey. Why "you can’t catch him"? Because Puppey hasn’t qualified for The International for years. Maybe that’s for the best, because as he once said, "If I get to The International, it’s over for everyone." Jokes aside, Puppey is an absolute dinosaur in the scene, the European version of Solo, but even tougher. The greatest Dota player over time. Seriously, it’s as if time doesn’t affect him. While their chances are slim, with a new and unexplored patch plus The International’s magic, Secret could unleash a completely unexpected strategy—perhaps something forgotten from the first Dota. I’m expecting a fierce battle.
2. Entity vs OG:
This is an extremely even matchup. N0tail, aka "Old Vova," is close to his prime despite his age. His micro-skills are insane, making him a formidable solo opponent in the lane. That’s why opponents often gank him as a group. If it were a 1v1 mid battle, N0tail would be unmatched. But Dota is too team-oriented nowadays to win on mechanics alone. If OG can prepare well and attack N0tail’s macro and mental game, they could win. However, if Entity has addressed this, they could take it 2-0 easily, considering their strong lineup with players like Watson, who has dominated matchmaking for a long time.
3. NaVi J vs Dandelions:
Yesterday, NaVi Junior gave up the map to Twisted without much fight, and previously, they were even less impressive against an unaware Tundra. Meanwhile, the Dandelions sent the once-legendary tag Mousesports home with the help of a good-natured Doof. ArtStyle wasn’t spotted on the webcam of NaVi Youth. I’m rooting for the Dandelions; they seem likable. They might not go far, but they have a good chance here, especially after yesterday's morale boost.
4. Quest vs Nigma Galaxy:
This is the big one. Miracle- and SumaiL were once a duo that could win The International on their own. Today, they’re fighting in the lower bracket just to qualify. Time is merciless. Watching KuroKy play, with whom I once played in Virtus.pro, almost makes me want to cry. He used to be incredible in micro, and macro, understanding Dota, and making calls. Now he’s a king of bloopers, not playing Dota at all. It’s tempting to compare his gameplay with Puppey’s, as they played together for a long time, both in the first and second Dota. But in any field, practice is crucial, especially in such a competitive environment. My head says Quest will win easily—they’re in great form both in gameplay and morale (although I’m puzzled why they favor carry Vengeful Spirit so much; there are far better heroes). But my heart wants to see the duo of the Emperor of the Mid Lane and Miracle on position one play for as long as possible.”
The closed qualifiers for The International 2024 in the Western European region are taking place from June 19 to 23. The top two teams will earn spots in the championship.