Yaroslav "MiPoshka" Naimidov - captain of Spirit team - affirmed his team as the leading candidate for The International 2025 championship, but this can also bring a lot of trouble at the tournament.

The world champion twice shared:

"Obviously, we are the number one candidate. This may be an advantage, but maybe not. Because they may be afraid of us, but maybe not. We will have to show bravery from the beginning - like let them know our position. And if we neglect anywhere, they will not be afraid anymore."

Miposhka emphasized that all teams have time to prepare for TI 2025, so he always values all opponents. According to him, the position of "the number one team" will make the Spirit team the focus of attention, and this may be a significant challenge.

The veteran player said that this pressure will make many teams stress when confronting them, thereby giving the Spirit team advantage. However, MiPoshka also admitted that the opposite side: teams can completely see the Spirit team as the biggest opponent, thereby focusing on tactical research and choosing hero to overcome.