IEM Cologne 2025: Team Spirit Destroys MOUZ Behind donk’s MVP Performance

Team Spirit dominated the Grand Final of IEM Cologne 2025, sweeping MOUZ 3–0 in decisive fashion. This win solidifies Spirit’s current form in Counter-Strike 2 and adds another major title to their growing trophy case.

A One-Sided Grand Final

In front of a packed Lanxess Arena, Team Spirit delivered a near-flawless performance. The Russian squad, led by the unstoppable Danil “donk” Kryshkovets, gave no room for improvisation—or hope—completely outclassing a fatigued MOUZ team that had just come off a grueling semifinal victory against Team Vitality.

On Mirage, Spirit set the pace from the get-go, suffocating MOUZ with an aggressive defensive setup. With a commanding 10–2 halftime lead, they closed out the map 13–7. Key highlights included a brutal 4K from donk in Connector, and a lethal Window push from chopper—proof of Spirit’s total control.

Ancient was a tighter affair, but turned into a nightmare for MOUZ. Up 11–5 after a strong CT half spearheaded by a sharp-looking Brollan, the team collapsed after losing a pivotal force-buy. Spirit’s comeback was triggered by a clutch 2v2 from sh1ro, followed by repeated multi-kills from donk in mid. They strung together eight consecutive rounds, flipping the script and taking the map 13–11.

The final act on Nuke left no room for doubt. Even though MOUZ started 3–0, Spirit quickly responded by winning eight of the next nine rounds, leading 8–4 at halftime. The second half was swift and brutal, punctuated by a 1v1 clutch from 17-year-old Ivan “zweih” Gogin to close the series. Final score: 13–6.

donk on Another Planet

The final scoreboard underscored the gulf in performance. donk finished the series with monster numbers:

62 kills / 41 deaths
99.8 ADR
1.53 HLTV 2.1 rating — an MVP-worthy performance he deservedly earned

Other Spirit players also delivered:

zont1x posted a solid 1.13 rating, quietly consistent throughout
chopper, the in-game leader, added impact beyond the call, with a 1.06 rating and several crucial clutches
sh1ro, despite a lower 0.99 rating, delivered in key rounds
zweih, the 17-year-old rookie, finished his first IEM final with a title-sealing clutch and a +1 K/D

MOUZ Show Glimmers, but T-Side Issues Persist

For MOUZ, only Brollan (1.08) and to a lesser extent Spinx (0.94) showed any real resistance. The team’s recurring struggles on T side once again came to light: only two gun rounds won on offense across the entire series, and their overall T-side win rate dropped below 42% over the past three months. It’s a structural issue they’ve yet to solve.

Vitality Shocked, MOUZ Rise

Just a day earlier, Team Vitality was stunned in the semifinals by MOUZ (0–2), ending an incredible 37-match win streak. On Mirage, ZywOo collapsed (8–19, 0.53 rating), and the French powerhouse crumbled without any tactical alternatives. Inspired by xertioN, MOUZ seized the momentum and broke Vitality mentally after the side switch.

Despite the upset, Vitality remain a top contender heading into the Budapest Major this November. As for MOUZ, reaching the final by defeating the world’s best is a meaningful achievement, even if their current gap with Spirit—strategically and individually—is hard to ignore.

Are We Headed Toward a Two-Team Era in CS2?

With this win, Team Spirit firmly establishes itself as Vitality’s main rival for the CS2 era. After a second-place finish in Katowice and a title at the PGL Major in Astana, the squad led by chopper continues to showcase a rare combination of tactical depth and mental resilience. donk, now frequently compared to CS legends, seems borderline unstoppable.

The successful integration of zweih adds even more potential. If this young star keeps improving, the gap between Spirit and the rest of the field may only grow wider.