The Esports World Cup 2025 in Riyadh was supposed to be another showcase for Team Spirit, one of the most promising rosters in Counter-Strike 2. Instead, the team suffered an early elimination, bowing out in the first round after a disappointing loss to HEROIC. Following the defeat, star AWPer Dmitry “sh1ro” Sokolov offered an honest explanation for the team’s struggles, pointing to exhaustion, illness, and the grueling schedule as the main reasons behind their poor showing.
“Guys, stop the hate,” sh1ro wrote on his social channels. “We simply ran out of strength, and we got sick. I was very unwell and barely spoke in the game. On top of that, the flights didn’t give us enough time to fix things. We have to take this as experience and move forward. And to make it worse, Vanya (zweih) also got sick. There were a lot of factors.” His words shed light on the human side of esports — that even elite teams can falter when health and fatigue collide with intense competition.
Sh1ro’s comments highlight how much physical and mental strain modern esports players endure. Unlike traditional sports, where travel and rest cycles are more carefully structured, esports tournaments often involve back-to-back flights across continents, long practice hours, and minimal recovery time.
The Boulevard Riyadh City arena hosted the EWC between August 20 and 24, attracting teams from across the globe. For Spirit, constant travel and lack of downtime became an unavoidable issue. By the time the squad arrived in Saudi Arabia, multiple players were already feeling the effects of fatigue, while both sh1ro and zweih were reportedly suffering from illness. Such circumstances significantly reduced communication within the team. For a tactical shooter like CS2, where coordination and split-second decisions define outcomes, reduced comms from the AWPer — usually the key voice in setups — left Spirit struggling to maintain their structure.
The defeat to HEROIC was, therefore, less about tactics and more about survival under unfavorable conditions.It wasn’t just sh1ro raising the alarm. Danil “donk” Kryshkovets, Spirit’s young prodigy who has been hailed as one of the brightest talents in the game, also spoke out about the need for recovery. He admitted that the team’s intense schedule had left them burned out, making it impossible to consistently perform at their peak.
Donk’s statement echoed the broader concerns of professional players across the esports scene. With the ever-expanding tournament calendar, organizations are pushing their rosters into more competitions, leaving little room for rest. While prize pools grow — with EWC 2025 boasting $1.25 million — so too do the physical and mental demands. For Spirit, this defeat may serve as a crucial reminder that long-term success requires balance. The team will need to reevaluate how they manage travel, practice, and downtime if they are to return to the top form that made them fan favorites.
Team Spirit’s early elimination at EWC 2025 will undoubtedly sting. Expectations were high, given their talent and previous results, and many analysts considered them potential dark horses for the title. Instead, they must watch from the sidelines as other teams battle for the massive prize pool in Riyadh. However, setbacks can also serve as turning points. Spirit now has time to regroup, focus on recovery, and prepare for upcoming competitions with renewed energy.
The players’ openness about their struggles has also sparked broader conversations in the community about the sustainability of current esports scheduling. Fans and experts alike are questioning whether tournament organizers and organizations are asking too much of players. Burnout, mental health issues, and injuries related to over-practice are becoming increasingly common topics in the competitive scene. Spirit’s struggles in Riyadh may highlight the need for reforms to protect players while maintaining the high level of competition that fans expect.
