MOUZ exited the Esports World Cup 2025 in the quarter-finals, finishing outside the top four for the first time this year. The loss to Falcons (1:2) was not shocking — both teams are now contending for elite status — but the manner of the defeat and the post-match words of Jimi “Jimpphat” Salo raise serious questions about the team’s future.
The end of “stability without trophies”
MOUZ have had an exceptionally consistent year: no early exits, constant top-four finishes, several finals appearances — but not a single big victory. This kind of consistency usually commands respect, but in MOUZ’s case it increasingly feels like a closed loop. Riyadh confirmed this impression: the team started the series well, but on the decisive Nuke collapsed due to their own mistakes.
And it wasn’t just about the lost anti-eco rounds or m0NESY’s clutches. This is a symptom of a broader problem: once again, MOUZ turned out to be “almost champions” — strong enough to compete with the best, but not stable enough to seal the deal.
Jimpphat takes the blame, but the issue runs deeper
The Finn openly admitted his own mistakes:
On the anti-eco I completely trolled. I decided to peek into four opponents going down Secret and gave them the round. We could have made the score closer, but that’s on me.
His honesty deserves respect, but his further words sounded even more alarming:
Sometimes we lack individual level more than other teams. We are all inconsistent. It’s not one player’s problem, it’s the whole team.
In fact, Jimpphat voiced what analysts have long been pointing out: MOUZ lack a stable game-carrier capable of lifting the team in key moments. torzsi, frozen, or xertioN can shine, but not consistently. And it is exactly this instability that prevents MOUZ from breaking through to championship titles.
40 days on the road with no trophies
Another detail the player emphasized was the exhausting schedule:
We’ve been away from home for 40 days and we’re returning without a single trophy. It hurts a lot, at least for me. We were ready to lift trophies, but here we are again, like last year.
These words reflect not only disappointment but also a potential risk: a long tournament marathon without rest and without results can quickly turn into a psychological crisis within the roster.
Community reaction
MOUZ’s loss immediately sparked heated discussions on HLTV forums. Much of the criticism was directed at xertioN, whom fans call “the king of group stages” but accuse of disappearing in playoffs.
- One user wrote: “Because xertioN is useless against top teams and playoffs,” implying the problem is not only inconsistency but specific individual failures.
- Others turned to Jimpphat: “Finnish players don’t have what it takes for tier-1. Jimpphat and aleksib should be playing on tier-3 teams.”
- Some fans dismissed this as an exaggeration, but the trust in Finnish talents within the community is clearly in doubt.
There were sarcastic remarks as well:
- “He got the playoffs curse passed by The MongolZ.”
- “People say Kyousuke will be the next xertioN, but actually Kyousuke >>> xertioN because xertioN always disappears in decisive matches.”
Others took a more rational approach: “They’re all pretty terrible versus top-5 teams,” sharing HLTV stats that confirm a steep drop in MOUZ’s individual ratings against elite opposition.
Overall, the sentiment can be described as disappointment with a touch of skepticism. Fans see MOUZ as a strong team, but believe that without radical changes — either in roles or in the roster — it will be difficult for the “mice” to turn stable top-four runs into true championship titles.
A signal for change
MOUZ now stand in a dangerous zone. Their stability without victories may turn into a trap. They are too strong to make hasty roster changes, but too weak to overcome the likes of Falcons, Vitality, or Spirit in the battle for trophies.
By his own words, Jimpphat essentially hinted at the main challenge: individual inconsistency. If MOUZ fail to find the inner resources to raise each player’s level — or fail to secure a stable “lifter” — the team risks following the path of the “old Liquid”: always close, but never at the very top.
This elimination is not a disaster, but neither is it just another loss. It is a warning sign: can MOUZ maintain their top-three status without a real breakthrough? The answer will come at the next big tournaments, but for now, the “mice” return home empty-handed.
