With The International 2025, Dota 2’s most prestigious event, on the horizon, the community naturally looks to its champions and legends. This year, however, signals a significant generational shift. Long-standing titans like **Clement `Puppey` Ivanov** and **Tal `Fly` Aizik**, once mainstays, find themselves absent from the player roster. Other revered names, such as **Artour `Arteezy` Babaev** and **Lu `Somnus` Yao**, couldn`t secure a spot, while **Kuro `KuroKy` Salehi Takhasomi** attends not as a competitor, but in a different capacity.
This evolving landscape begs the question: who truly represents the veteran spirit at TI 2025? The definition itself appears to be undergoing a subtle reevaluation. While the old guard may be stepping back, a new echelon of seasoned players is emerging, carrying their own rich histories and a relentless pursuit of the Aegis. Let`s delve into the careers of those who, through sheer perseverance and skill, have earned their place as the “new veterans” of Dota 2.
The Enduring Presence: A Look at TI 2025`s Most Experienced Competitors
(Note: The number of The International appearances mentioned below includes TI 2025.)
Cr1t-: The Unyielding Pursuit of the Aegis
**Andreas Franck `Cr1t-` Nielsen** stands as the player with the most TI appearances at The International 2025, an impressive ten. His ascent to the tier-1 scene in late 2015 marked a turning point after years navigating the competitive quagmire of tier-2 Dota. Before joining **OG**, a team where he found his initial taste of major victories, Cr1t- experienced the grind, including a ninth-place finish in the TI 2014 qualifiers. His move to North America with **Evil Geniuses (EG)** cemented his status, where he spent seven consecutive years.
Remarkably, since his inaugural TI appearance, **Cr1t- has not missed a single International**. Yet, despite this unparalleled consistency, the coveted Aegis has eluded him. His closest brush with glory was a third-place finish in 2018. Last year, with **Team Falcons**, he was among the favorites but finished top-4, twice falling to Tundra. This year, while Team Falcons` position might have slightly wavered, Cr1t-`s relentless quest for the ultimate prize continues, a testament to his enduring passion for the game.
Sneyking: The Long Road to Redemption
**Jingjun `Sneyking` Wu**, Cr1t-`s teammate on Team Falcons, boasts a professional trajectory distinctly different from many. Though he began his career around the same time as Cr1t-, Sneyking broke into the top tier earlier, attending his first International in 2013 with **Team Dignitas**. However, maintaining that elite status proved challenging. While his Dignitas teammates, **UNiVeRsE** and **Aui_2000**, went on to win the Aegis with EG in 2015, Sneyking found himself drifting through North American tier-2 teams for seven years, often attending TI as an underdog without a deep run.
His career underwent a profound transformation in 2021 when he relocated to Europe and joined **Tundra Esports**. This regional shift reignited his career. After missing TI in his first season with Tundra, he achieved the ultimate glory a year later, lifting the Aegis at The International 2022. Post-Tundra, Sneyking joined Team Falcons, successfully securing his second consecutive TI appearance. His journey is a compelling narrative of perseverance, demonstrating that for some, the path to greatness is indeed a marathon, not a sprint.
Ame: China`s Enduring Enigma
For a considerable period, **Wang `Ame` Chunyu** was considered the “new blood” amidst China`s wealth of veteran talent. Now, with many of those old guard players retired, Ame himself is the most experienced Chinese representative at The International. His career began in 2015 with CDEC.Y, and the intense competition within the Chinese scene meant a couple of years without international LAN experience.
After TI 2016, Ame became a core part of **LGD Gaming**, opening his path to the tier-1 stage. He quickly attended his first Major and then The International, securing a top-4 finish. What followed was a remarkable streak: **Ame attended four more TIs consecutively with LGD, reaching the top-3 three times, and two Grand Finals.** Yet, the Aegis remained agonizingly out of reach, often slipping from his grasp in the final moments. Following a top-6 finish at TI 2022, he announced a hiatus, missing the entire next season.
However, like many top Chinese players, the allure of Dota 2 proved too strong. Ame returned in 2024, joining **Xtreme Gaming**, achieving a top-6 finish at TI. This year, he once again qualified for TI with Xtreme – **for the first time since 2017, he had to navigate the regional qualifiers to do so**, a surprising turn for a player of his consistent caliber.
SumaiL: From Prodigy to Seasoned Strategist
It`s a curious phenomenon when the “boy wonder” of Dota 2 steps into the shoes of a veteran. Yet, here we are: **Syed Sumail `SumaiL` Hassan**, at 26, is approaching his seventh International appearance. His professional rise was nothing short of meteoric. At just 15, after his family moved to the US, he joined EG, almost immediately winning a $3 million tier-1 tournament (DAC 2015). Six months later, at 16, he lifted the Aegis, becoming the youngest TI champion in history.
Following this triumph, SumaiL continued his streak, attending five more TIs consecutively, first with EG and then with OG. However, post-2020, challenges emerged. In 2021, his attempt to qualify with **Nigma** fell short. A surprising venture into China with **Team Aster** in 2022 also ended without TI qualification. Since 2024, Hassan has settled back with Nigma, facing further setbacks, including an eighth-place finish in qualifiers. However, for TI 2025, Nigma, revitalized by a roster change, managed to qualify, albeit through what many considered a notably weaker European qualifier field. SumaiL returns to The International, now firmly established among the scene`s seasoned veterans, a testament to his enduring presence, even if his journey has become more convoluted.
33: The Late Bloomer Who Conquered All
**Neta `33` Shapira** is rightfully regarded as one of the most individually skilled and successful players of recent years. Yet, this celebrated status largely crystallized in 2022 after his first victory at The International. His professional career spans a decade, much of which was spent outside the spotlight. Few recall his initial TI appearance in 2017 with **Planet Dog**, where he placed last, winning only a single map in eight matches.
For several years thereafter, 33 played under **Peter `ppd` Dager** with **OpTic Gaming** and **Ninjas in Pyjamas**. While this period included Major appearances and even TI participation, he remained largely in ppd`s shadow, not yet recognized as a tier-1 force. Everything changed in 2020 when he formed his own squad, **mudgolems**, which eventually evolved into **Tundra Esports**. In 2022, Shapira secured his first Aegis, a career-defining moment. Two years later, he achieved the remarkable feat of winning another Aegis, this time with **Team Liquid**.
Currently, 33 has once again assembled his own team, playing under the Tundra banner. While his roster might not be considered the primary favorite for The International 2025, Neta Shapira`s capacity to contend for top honors is undeniable. His story is one of a player who patiently honed his craft, found his moment, and then seized it with both hands, proving that mastery can arrive at any stage of a career.
A New Era Dawns
The relentless march of time in esports ensures that generations will continue to shift. The names we once considered the absolute bedrock of Dota 2 are giving way to new faces, or rather, to seasoned individuals who have navigated the tumultuous currents of professional play for years. It`s entirely plausible that for some of the veterans featured here, The International 2025 could mark their final appearance on this grand stage. As the tournament approaches, we await to see which of these enduring competitors will etch their names deeper into Dota 2 history.
