IEM Cologne 2025 has officially concluded — Team Spirit claimed the trophy with a confident 3:0 victory over MOUZ in the grand final. The tournament, held at the legendary LANXESS Arena, delivered countless memorable moments, surprising outcomes, and dramatic storylines. MOUZ emerged as the tournament’s biggest sensation, ending Vitality’s historic win streak — but ultimately fell just one step short of the title.
Teams That Fell Short of Expectations
One of the biggest disappointments was Team Falcons. The roster made headlines before the event by signing kyousuke, the breakout star from Spirit Academy. Despite his exceptional individual performance (1.39 rating), Falcons exited early in the 9–12th place range — far from the quarterfinals that many analysts predicted.
Another letdown was FaZe Clan. With broky returning to the lineup, the team looked solid early on and even picked up a few convincing wins. However, two losses to NAVI ended their run prematurely. FaZe also finished 9–12th, leaving many questions about their future.
TYLOO, fresh off a win at FISSURE Playground 1, once again struggled against top European competition. The Chinese squad failed to translate regional success to the international stage and bowed out in the early rounds.
Then came perhaps the biggest shock: Team Vitality, the tournament favorites and reigning BLAST.tv Austin Major champions, were eliminated by MOUZ in the semifinals, ending their 37-series win streak across BO3 and BO5 formats. To add to the disappointment, star player ZywOo didn’t even make the top 10 by rating, finishing with just 1.13.
Standout Surprises and Promising Performances
Despite falling in the semifinals, NAVI left a positive impression — particularly due to the debut of makazze. With no experience on the big stage, he handled the pressure well, quickly adapted to NAVI’s system, and showed clear potential to become a future star.
The biggest surprise, however, was MOUZ. Not only did they eliminate Vitality, but they also reached the grand final by showcasing teamwork, discipline, and grit. While they couldn’t match Spirit in the final, their overall tournament run was nothing short of remarkable.
G2 Esports also showed promise. Competing with a newly formed lineup featuring SunPayus, MATYS, and coach sAw, they finished 7–8th — a respectable result for a team still building synergy. The potential is clearly there, and the foundation looks solid.
Key Takeaways from the Cologne Showdown
IEM Cologne 2025 left behind a trail of excitement, surprises, and powerful narratives. Team Spirit cemented their place as a new force at the top, while MOUZ proved that consistency and trust in a system can go a long way. At the same time, Vitality, Falcons, and FaZe received a serious wake-up call as they look ahead to the rest of the season. Cologne once again reminded us — nothing is guaranteed in CS2, and that’s exactly what makes this game so thrilling.
