As we gear up to celebrate and look ahead to the International 2025 qualifiers, it’s hard not to think about some familiar faces missing from the scene. The road to TI14 is already buzzing with excitement, but not everyone who thrilled us in past tournaments will be joining the race this year. So, before the action kicks off, let’s take a moment to spotlight a few notable Dota 2 players who are currently inactive in the competitive scene.
What makes it feel especially bittersweet is that many of these players were still battling it out just last year at TI. Their sudden absence adds a quiet weight to the qualifiers — it’s a shame we won’t be seeing them on the main stage this time around. Whether they’re on a break, stepping back for personal reasons, or transitioning to something new, their presence will definitely be missed as TI14 unfolds.
Topson’s last TI appearance (Image credit: Valve)
List of Dota 2 players not playing at TI14 qualifiers this year
Topson
The two-time TI Champion, Topias “Topson” Taavitsainen, is arguably one of the most notable absentees at TI14 qualifiers. Last year, Topson had his last hurrah with Tundra Esports, which finished third-place at TI13.
Unfortunately, we won’t be expecting him to make an appearance at the regional qualifiers, let alone TI14 itself because he is currently serving his Finnish military service.
Ceb
Another notable player and fellow teammate of Topson, Sébastien “Ceb” Debs has also decided to step back from the Dota 2 Esports scene earlier this year. This came after he came out of retirement two years ago to lead the new OG roster, although to no avail.
As OG reforms once again in March 2025, Ceb has decided to leave the OG active roster once more, but he did not announce his retirement from Dota 2 Esports yet.
RAMZES666
The Russian prodigy and staple in many previous TI Championships, Roman “RAMZES666” Kushnarev has not been active since his departure from Tundra Esports last year. Not much is known about RAMZES666’s whereabouts since then, but he has not confirmed his retirement from competitive Dota 2.
Miracle-
Meanwhile, the International 2017 (TI7) Champion, Amer “Miracle-” Al-Barkawi has decided to extend his hiatus from competitive play. According to Nigma Galaxy’s recent update on Miracle’s current status, it seems like he is still working on improving his health.
Despite being registered as one of Nigma’s active line-up throughout the 2025 season, the team has frequently opted for a stand-in, replacing Miracle-.
dyrachyo
Gaimin Gladiators’ former carry player, Anton “dyrachyo” Shkredov, was the team’s golden boy in many recent TI Championships. Despite his departure from Gaimin last year, dyrachyo was still active in Tundra Esports for several months.
However, after his loss at PGL Wallachia Season 3, dyrachyo announced his break from competitive play, citing burnout as his reason. Despite his young age, dyrachyo has been playing competitively for seven years.
fy
Over at the Chinese Dota 2 scene, Xu “fy” Linsen is the only remnant of TI8 PSG.LGD roster that we won’t be expecting at TI14 regional qualifier. He last played for Azure Ray with no further whereabouts on what he’s up to till now.
Meanwhile, his fellow ex-teammates, Wang “Ame” Chunyu, Lu “Somnus” Yao and Yap “xNova” Jian Wei will be playing at TI14 qualifiers, albeit in different teams.
Will These Dota 2 Players Play at TI14?
While it’s sad to see that several of the world’s best Dota 2 players are unlikely to compete secured at the International 2025 qualifiers, not all reliable hopes are lost. In most instances, participating teams at TI14 will need stand-in players in case of their active players not being able to make it. Whether it’s visa issues or health problems, this list of Dota 2 absentees fits the checklist as a suitable substitute because they already visa from past championships and they are veteran players themselves.
With the exception of Topson and Miracle-, who are unavailable, the other players are potential candidates for any team looking for a last-minute stand-in at the International 2025 .