They say that all good things must come to an end. In the case of Dota 2 player Lasse “MATUMBAMAN” Urpalainen, he took his bow after Team Liquid lost to Team Secret at The International 2022. He had previously announced that he would be retiring and stepping away from the competitive scene after TI11.
On his official Twitter account, he thanked everyone for the support not just for this year's TI but also as a player for the last seven years. Despite finishing third place, he shared that he couldn't "imagine a better way to end one[’s] career." It was a bittersweet moment but for MATUMBAMAN, there are no regrets.
Becoming a Legend
MATUMBAMAN's career started back in 2014 when he was part of Veni, Vidi, Vici. It was here when he caught the eye of many fans with his mechanical skills on heroes like Ember Spirit and Tinker. He joined Team Liquid in 2015 and they dominated the competitive scene during the 2016 season. However, the team was eliminated and settled for 7th-8th place at TI6.
A roster change was inevitable, but MATUMBAMAN managed to stay with Liquid. While they had a good performance at the group stage of TI7, they were brought down to the Lower Bracket after the first round of the playoffs. An impressive run saw them working their way through the Lower Bracket and sweeping Newbee 3-0 to claim the Aegis.
MATUMBAMAN later left Liquid and bounced on different teams. He joined Team Secret and they finished third place at TI10. Eventually, he returned to Liquid and ended a wonderful career with this team.
What Next?
What happens now? In what can be considered as his last interview as a pro player, MATUMBAMAN said that while it's sad to say goodbye, “you have to move on and figure out something else.” When asked what he plans to do next, he revealed that he wants to relax and maybe spend some time on his sailboat.
At 27 years old, there’s a lot that he could still do if he wants to continue being part of the Dota 2 community. He could coach teams like Kurtis “Aui_2000” Ling or Jesse “JerAx” Vainikka. He could also stream like Danil “Dendi” Ishutin.
Whatever he decides to do, one thing is for sure: his Dota 2 fans will be more than ready to support him.
What about you? What was your favorite MATUMBAMAN moment?
