The Russian squad, led by stellar performances from donk and magixx, capped off their year with another trophy victory.
Team Spirit emerged victorious at the Perfect World Shanghai Major, overcoming FaZe in a tightly contested 2-1 final. This win marks Spirit’s fourth championship of the year, bookending their season in style after defeating FaZe at Katowice earlier this year, thanks partly to a phenomenal display by Danil “donk” Kryshkovets.
Unsurprisingly, the 17-year-old sensation earned the tournament’s Most Valuable Player honor. With an outstanding 1.49 rating throughout the event, donk became the youngest player ever to claim both a Major title and MVP status, breaking the previous record held by Markus “Kjaerbye” Kjærbye since 2017.
Unlike the Katowice event, where Dmitry “sh1ro” Sokolov shared much of the responsibility, this time, Boris “magixx” Vorobiev stepped up with one of the most commanding performances of his career, helping Spirit clinch the victory. The final map boiled down to the last round, yet Spirit consistently proved the stronger side throughout the match.
“This win has been a dream of mine for years,” Spirit’s in-game leader, Leonid “chopper“ Vishnyakov, reflected after the final. “It was my life’s goal to prove myself, and I am so grateful to my team for their effort and to everyone who has supported us. To the organization, the fans, and especially my wife, Larisa—this one’s for you.”
FaZe, despite their remarkable journey through the playoffs, fell heartbreakingly short in the final. Their resilience and mental toughness throughout the tournament were fully displayed as they nearly completed a stunning comeback on the last map. While uncertainty looms over FaZe’s future roster, captain Finn “karrigan“ Andersen hinted at continuing his career, saying, “Another Major final, another second place. There will be more opportunities.”
The grand final opened with donk showcasing his talent right from the second round. A stunning triple kill with a Desert Eagle during an eco round reversed FaZe’s early momentum after they secured the pistol round. Spirit capitalized on this, building a 4-1 lead before FaZe stabilized their economy. Strong contributions from Håvard “rain“ Nygaard and Robin “ropz“ Kool allowed FaZe to recover. Still, Spirit closed the half ahead with contributions from donk, magixx, and chopper, who delivered four crucial multi-kills.
The second half began with donk clutching a 1v2 pistol round, pushing Spirit to a 10-5 advantage. Though FaZe attempted to mount a comeback, Spirit consistently traded rounds to maintain control, ultimately sealing the map with a dominant showing on their A-site defense.
On Ancient, donk’s highlight reel grew even more significant with a spectacular ace in the fourth round. He and magixx carried their form from Nuke into the map, but FaZe dominated the first half with an 8-7 lead. magixx secured a critical 1v1 in the pistol round, but FaZe regained momentum, embarking on a five-round streak to close the map convincingly.
The decider on Dust2 was all about Spirit in the first half. donk once again led the charge, racking up 18 kills, winning four out of five opening duels, and delivering an average of 140 damage per round. Spirit built a commanding 8-4 lead before FaZe rallied late in the half.
Despite FaZe’s attempts to claw back with a double AWP setup, Spirit maintained their composure and reached match point at 12-5. FaZe chipped away at the deficit and kept fans on edge with a breathtaking 2v4 retake in the 23rd round, but Spirit held firm. The decisive moment came in a 3v3 post-plant on the B site, where sh1ro’s 1v2 clutch ensured Spirit closed out the series and claimed the Shanghai Major crown.v
