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A closer look at Team OG: the world's best Dota 2 outfit
Having made history as the first team to ever win successive titles at The International, here's a rundown of the stars behind OG.
Born from the ashes of Team (Monkey) Business, Team OG found a foothold in Dota 2 when they won Valve's first-ever Frankfurt Major in November 2015 shortly after forming.
OG continued to find success early on, picking up multiple smaller tournament wins and eventually becoming the first team to win not only two, but three majors with stunning performances all throughout 2016.
Despite those majors, they still had something to prove on the biggest stage of all: The International. When 18 of the world’s best Dota 2 teams gathered in Seattle to compete in Valve's $24 million prize tournament in 2017, OG finished joint seventh, which was no shame, but the team knew they had to do better next time around.
However, in the build up to the following year's TI8 finals, last minute player departures and problems within the camp threatened to derail OG's title bid before it had even begun. Wonderfully though, they went on to do the impossible and win the entire tournament - an incredible story you can now watch in new documentary Against the Odds below:
1 h 21 min
Against the Odds
This is the journey of five Dota players and a coach, who, just two months before, had never played together.
This August, the reigning champions went over to Shanghai to defend their title at TI9. No longer plucky underdogs and with the weight of the world squarely on their shoulders, how would they respond? By winning it all again, of course, defeating Team Liquid in a frantic final battle to become the only Dota 2 team to hold two International titles - back-to-back titles at that. Even Hollywood couldn't even script it.
So without further ado, here are the leading men behind OG...
Johan 'N0tail' Sundstein
As well as a seasoned veteran, N0tail is a master of versatility on Dota 2
© RedBull.com
n0tail is one of the most outgoing personalities in Dota, known for his in game shot-calling and ability to handle micro-intensive heroes. He's played in every position, from mid in his Heroes of Newerth days to support after transitioning to Dota 2 to playing hard carry for Team OG. With a myriad of Dota knowledge at his disposal, Johan has grown into a style that shows enhanced awareness during the early stages of the game.
As a founding member of OG, and a player who's been at the very top of the Dota 2 scene pretty much since it started, 'N0tail' has done it all. Major wins, lifting the Aegis twice, forming super teams, pulling together rosters at the last minute and playing every position – you name it, the Dane's done it and almost always found success.
It's a team game of course and without N0tail's game craft Team OG wouldn't be riding the wave it currently finds itself on. Both in and out of the game, 'N0tail' knows how to get the best out of his team-mates, whether it's motivating them between matches with his unique philosophies, or playing unselfishly to create space for the other stars on the team, he knows what he needs to do to make sure his entire team is performing at the highest level.
Anathan 'Ana' Pham
Australia's ana was the MVP of The International 8
© Red Bull
Despite pleas from his parents, Ana dropped out of high school at the age of 16 to pursue a full time career playing Dota in China. After standing in for Ferrari_430 on Invictus Gaming, Ana found a new home at OG.
The plays ana makes are sometimes unbelievable, but unlike some other star players, the crucial mistakes are non-existent. His consistency is just one of the hard carry and mid player’s talents, but ability comes at a price: ana likes to take extended breaks from the demanding pro scene, and he’s never been part of an active roster for longer than 12 months at a time, choosing to take time off to recharge his batteries.
Those sabbaticals have clearly paid off. Not only was ana crowned the MVP of TI8, pulling the strings as Team OG caused the biggest of upsets to scoop the top prize, but now, one year on, the Australian superstar has had another unforgettable tournament at TI9.
Topias 'Topson' Taavitsainen
Topson specialises in picking Dota's most mechanically demanding heroes
© RedBull.com
Barely two years since joining OG from relative obscurity, Finland's Topias 'Topson' Taavitsainen has been instrumental in the team's back-to-back titles at The International.
Some players are made for the esports stage: those with the talent to match their ability to perform under the highest pressure imaginable. Although in the case of Team OG's 'Topson', this might be an understatement - the esports stage was made for him.
When the Finn joined OG in June 2018 he'd never been on a salaried top level team before, and his amateur experience was limited to say the least. Known as a top level player in pubs, he got his chance to play on the biggest stage of them all, to the surprise of many, and immediately proved that he deserved to be there.
Now, barely two years on, he's won successive titles at The International, blasting away the competition with Team OG at both TI8 and more recently TI9. He's also developed something of a cult following among fans, and, well, 'We Stan'.
Topson specialises in picking some of the most mechanically demanding heroes in the game, but always makes playing them look easy. Considering he's been playing Dota since he was just eight years old, though, that probably shouldn't be too surprising.
Jesse 'JerAx' Vainikka
If you let JerAx play Earth Spirit, you'll end up with a loss
© RedBull.com
JerAx is known as one of the most aggressive roaming supports to play the game today, often putting unrelenting pressure on enemy mid laners from the first creep spawn. His career as a professional player really began in 2014 with the all Finnish squad 4 Anchors + Sea Captain. He bounced between several teams in 2015, but after finding positive results with Team Liquid, Jesse moved on to find new teammates in OG.
When it comes to looking good while playing Dota, no one comes close to Jesse 'JerAx' Vainikka. His hair is at the top of the leaderboard, he always appears to be calmer than anyone around him and he has one of the coolest clothing lines in the world of esports. When he jumps into Dota, though, none of that matters – only his impressive support play.
Regarded as one of the best earth spirit players in Dota, JerAx is one of the few support players who'll always be targeted with early bans by every team. You just don't let him play ES, or you'll end up with a loss.
While ana and fellow Finn Topson are often the ones pulling-off the highlight reel plays, JerAx is no stranger to that style of play either, often stealing the show as the position four – no easy feat.
Sébastien 'Ceb' Debs
Previously a coach for OG, Ceb is now one of the world's best offlaners
© RedBull.com
Formerly the main coach of Team OG, Ceb is now one of the best offlaners in the world for the back-to-back TI champions.
For years, he hovered between the very top tier of Dota and the mid-level teams in which it can be tough to make a good living. So, after a long career, he transitioned to become OG’s main coach in 2016, half expecting to never play professionally again. But when OG was in need of players to build a roster for TI8, the Frenchman stepped up, becoming the team's offlaner.
It soon became clear that analysing the game as a coach had added a new dimension to 'Ceb', and he rapidly became one of the best offlaners in the world. Just weeks before TI8 he wasn't even supposed to be playing at the competition, but he took the challenge in his stride and achieved his dream, winning TI and becoming a millionaire overnight.
And if his local bank branch were happy with that, they will have been delighted following the recent TI9 event in Shanghai, where Ceb and his Team OG cohorts smashed the opposition to make history with a second successive title.
