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There’s something magical about the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, and this weekend, Team Spirit gave fans a grand final performance to remember — a clean 3-0 sweep over MOUZ to lift the IEM Cologne 2025 trophy.

With this win, Spirit have now completed the legendary CS trifecta: IEM Cologne, IEM Katowice, and a Major title. That puts them in elite company and they’re showing no signs of slowing down.

Map 1, Mirage – MOUZ’s Pick

The series started off on Mirage, and Spirit wasted no time taking control. Their CT side was rock solid, stacking up round after round to take a commanding 10 – 2 lead by halftime. MOUZ looked flat. Thankfully, they won the second pistol round, seeding in the hope of a potential comeback. However, any chance of a comeback was put to an end as they struggled to convert even when they found openings. The map was secured by Spirit with a 13-7 scoreline.

Map 2, Ancient – Spirit’s Pick

Things didn’t get any better for MOUZ on Ancient. Despite putting up a fight and even taking the lead of 8 – 4 into the second half, they couldn’t stop Spirit’s late-game surge. A string of confident rounds, highlighted by some clutch plays from donk and sh1ro, turned the map on its head. Spirit snatched victory 13-11 and were now one map away from the title.

Map 3, Nuke – MOUZ’s Pick

Map three, Nuke, was MOUZ’s last hope, and for a brief moment, it looked like they might bounce back. They won the pistol round and the early few, but Spirit quickly shut down any momentum. Once they got rolling, their mid-to-late round decisions outclassed MOUZ entirely. Even when losing opening picks, Spirit turned situations in their favour through sheer coordination and killer instinct.

By the time the scoreboard hit 13-6, it was all over. Spirit had claimed their crown, and they made it look easy.

Map 4 and Map 5? None

There was no need for a fourth or fifth map in this series, Spirit made sure of that. By taking Mirage with confident execution and pulling off a gutsy comeback on Ancient, they closed the best-of-five semifinal in just three maps. MOUZ, despite moments of brilliance and early leads, couldn’t force a fourth map, let alone push the series the distance. Spirit’s dominant showing didn’t just end the series early, it sent a clear message to any would-be challengers: they’re here to win, and they’re not wasting time.

MVP? You Guessed Him

It’s hard to talk about Team Spirit without mentioning Danil “donk” Kryshkovets. The young Russian phenom continues to impress, and this tournament was no different.


From multi-kills to clutch plays, donk was at the heart of Spirit’s success and fully deserved the MVP title. At this point, he’s not just a rising star, he’s firmly one of the best CS2 players in the world.

A Bright Future for Spirit

This was also the debut IEM trophy for 17-year-old newcomer Ivan “zweih” Gogin, who slotted into the squad with calm confidence. While not always flashy, his impact was felt — especially when he pulled off a crucial 1v1 clutch to help close out the final map. The experience of lifting a trophy this early in his career could prove invaluable for both him and the team moving forward.

MOUZ Falter at the Final Hurdle

MOUZ had an incredible run leading up to the final, including an upset win over Team Vitality in the semis, but their issues on T side came back to haunt them. Across the three maps, they failed to find consistency when it mattered most. If they’re going to challenge top-tier teams like Spirit in the future, they’ll need to patch up their mid-round calls and adapt under pressure.