Team Spirit has proven themselves a powerhouse in the MLBB Continental Championship (MCC), emerging as champions with a dominant Season 5 victory. The team (formerly known as Deus Vult) has now defended their title for five consecutive seasons following a 4-0 win against Virtus.pro in the Grand Finals. As champions, Team Spirit has secured a spot on the Main Stage of the MLBB Mid Season Cup (MSC) at the 2025 Esports World Cup (EWC)—which boasts a USD 3 million prize pool. The team will now turn their focus to pursuing a second MLBB world title following their recent triumph at the MLBB Super-Cup Invitational (MSI). Meanwhile, runners-up, Virtus.pro, have qualified for the Wild Card stage.
A force to be reckoned with
Team Spirit recently etched their name into the history books by winning the inaugural MSI, becoming the first team from the Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) region to claim an international MLBB title. They dominated the Grand Finals with a 4-0 sweep over Chinese representatives, DianFengYaoGuai (DFYG), to take home the trophy.
Team Spirit's journey to defending their crown
Team Spirit dominated the Grand Finals with a clean 4-0 sweep over Virtus.pro. Although the runners-up put up a fight, their hopes were dashed in Game 4 when Team Spirit staged a comeback after a shaky early game. A well-executed team fight at the eight-minute mark saw them steal the Turtle and zone out Virtus.pro, which shifted the game's momentum entirely. With the Gold lead in hand, Team Spirit punished Virtus.pro's poor positioning and overconfident plays with precise coordination. At the 17-minute mark, Virtus.pro attempted a desperate ambush. But this backfired, resulting in a cascade of eliminations that left only their EXP laner, BadKot, to defend the base. Facing overwhelming odds, BadKot made a valiant last stand, charging into Team Spirit's five-man lineup, but was quickly taken down. Team Spirit then stormed the base to close out the match and claim the championship.
Alexander "ONESHOT" Sharkov was named the Grand Finals Most Valuable Player (FMVP) after earning the MVP honours in Game 2 and delivering a standout performance in the final match. The Jungler secured all but one neutral objective for his team, propelling them to victory. Team Spirit consists of Alexander "ONESHOT" Sharkov, Kemiran "SunsetLover" Kochkarov, Anton "Hiko" Pak, Mathaios "KidBomba" Panagiotis Chatzilakos, and Stanislav "SAWO" Reshnyak.
Speaking on his team's victory, KidBomba, said: "Winning MCC Season 5 feels incredible and will be an unforgettable moment for us. Every season gets tougher, and to come out on top again proves how far we've come as a team. I'm so proud of the boys and the work we've put in. Team Spirit has always aimed to set the standard in EECA, and now we're ready to carry that momentum into MSC at EWC 25. We're going there not just to show up—but to compete and represent the region with everything that we've got!"
Runners-up, Virtus.pro, delivered a determined performance throughout the season—rising from the Qualifiers all the way to the Grand Finals. The team secured a top-two finish in the Closed Qualifiers and placed fifth in the Regular Season. After navigating through the Lower Brackets of the Play-Ins, they secured a well-earned a spot in the Playoffs Upper Bracket. Although they faced a narrow 2-3 loss to Team Spirit earlier in the Playoffs, Virtus.pro fiercely fought back through the Lower Bracket Finals to secure their place in the Grand Finals.
A game-changing season
Season 5 of MCC marked a significant step forward in the league's competitive evolution. MCC became the first MLBB league headed to a major international tournament to adopt a global ban drafting system. Known as the Brave Draft, the system prevents teams from selecting the same hero twice in a match series, pushing players to be more adaptable. This change was implemented to strengthen the league's competitiveness by promoting greater strategic variety, encouraging teams to expand their hero pools and innovate their gameplay
Ajay Jilka, Head of Esports – EECA at MOONTON Games, said: "MCC Season 5 has been our most competitive yet. The goal has always been to get our teams ready for the global stage, and this season reflects that. From the implementation of the Brave Draft to the Regular Season format shift, everything pushed our players to be better. This kind of growth is exactly what the EECA MLBB esports ecosystem needs to keep evolving. Congratulations to Team Spirit for the win! With them leading the charge for MSC at EWC 25, we're hoping the EECA region can deliver another historic run."
Sights set on a second MLBB world title
Taking place from 23 July to 2 August, MSC will return after a record-breaking debut at the EWC. At the inaugural EWC, MSC emerged as the most-watched esports title, drawing over 2.38 million Peak Concurrent Viewers (PCV) and 29 million Hours Watched (HW), according to Esports Charts.
Team Spirit will aim to build on their momentum and challenge for a second world title at MSC at EWC 25. With consecutive top-four finishes at the M Series—MLBB's flagship international tournament—the team has consistently proven they stand amongst the world's best. As EECA's representatives, all eyes will be on them to bring home another world championship title and cement the region's status as a rising force in MLBB esports.
The weekend saw Selangor Red Giants OG Esports (SRG) punch their ticket to the MSC at EWC 25 Main Stage after winning the Upper Bracket Finals against Homebois 3-2 during the first Phase of MPL Malaysia Season 15. They are joined on the Main Stage by MPL Philippines Season 15 champion, Team Liquid Philippines, and 1st runner-up, ONIC Philippines, after a breathtaking 4-3 victory for The Calvary. Ultra Legends secured a spot on the Main Stage after crushing Team Falcons (FLCN) 4-1 in the MPL MENA Season 7 Grand Finals, with FLCN progressing to the Wild Card.
