During a talk at PGL Wallachia Season 5, Dota 2 legend Kuro “KuroKy” Salehi Takhasomi shared a story from one of the game’s most crucial offseasons — the aftermath of The International 2016. Speaking along with fellow greats Clement “Puppey” Ivanov and Johan “N0tail” Sundstein, KuroKy opened up about the complex emotions and integrity-driven decisions that led to Amer “Miracle-” Al-Barkawi joining Team Liquid.
TI6 was a time of both heartbreak and clarity for many top-tier squads. OG, considered heavy favorites, were knocked out in the second round of the lower bracket — a shock exit that triggered a seismic roster reshuffle. With Jesse “JerAx” Vainikka leaving OG for Liquid and Miracle- departing OG shortly after, the Dota community saw big shifts. But as it turns out, KuroKy wasn’t behind the move at least, not initially.
“I didn’t ask Miracle- to join out of respect for him [N0tail],” KuroKy revealed during the conversation. “It’s his teammate — I’m not gonna poach.”
In a scenario where roster changes usually come with a dose of drama and backchanneling, KuroKy’s restraint is almost unheard of. Even though Miracle- was the most heaven-gifted player in Dota at the time, KuroKy didn’t reach out to him due to respect for N0tail and the bond OG’s roster had built. Instead, Miracle- reached out to him with a Steam message, and that was the move that changed both teams’ trajectory.
With Miracle- and the then-unknown Maroun “GH” Merhej arrived in Liquid, it resulted in a deadly squad alongside KuroKy, Ivan “MinD_ContRoL” Ivanov, and Lasse “MATUMBAMAN” Urpalainen. This gamble paid off when Liquid lifted the Aegis at TI7 by winning The International.
OG, meanwhile, rebuilt with new energy. They brought in JerAx (returning the favor), Gustav “s4” Magnusson, and a relatively unknown Anathan “ana” Pham. That squad would go on to make their mark, win Major titles, and become the first back-to-back TI champions in history.
But back in 2016, none of that was guaranteed. What stands out now, almost a decade later, is the respect and sportsmanship that underpinned those decisions. As KuroKy said, “It was like that. I’m not gonna poach Miracle-, he’s like the best player. But then I got his Steam message, so that was done.”
This humility and professionalism are part of what has defined KuroKy’s storied career, not only as a captain but as a leader who has built the careers of many best players in the game. Miracle- has been in the lineup since then, and they even built Nigma Galaxy, the spiritual successor to their Liquid legacy.
Though KuroKy has since stepped back from playing to coach full-time, and Miracle- is currently on hiatus due to poor health, the duo’s legacy in Dota 2 remains etched in history. When esports leaders speak openly about integrity and loyalty, this proves that behind the highlight reels and million-dollar prize pools, still it’s the game built on trust, respect, and the decisions made in private chats.
