Clement “Puppey” Ivanov – one of the greatest Dota 2 players of all time – is officially stepping into coaching for the first time in his career. PARIVISION announced that the veteran will serve as their coach for DreamLeague Season 27, joining one of the strongest teams in the world.

PARIVISION has been a powerhouse throughout the 2024 and 2025 seasons, winning ESL One Bangkok 2024, ESL One Raleigh 2025, and DreamLeague Season 26, culminating in a Top 3 finish at the organization’s first The International 14. 

And though these are some very respectable results, the team still unexpectedly parted ways with coach Filipe “Astini” Ribeiro, who has played a major role in the team’s rise to the top. 

With how strong PARIVISION ended the 2025 season, it’s only natural they’d need a replacement who could elevate an already world-class roster, and very few names in Dota history fit that bill as perfectly as Puppey. 

A TI champion, multi-Major winner, and one of the most respected figures in the entire scene, Puppey looks to bring his experience and leadership into the PARIVISION squad. 

Puppey’s Transition to Coaching Fits Like a Glove

While Puppey stepping into coaching is an entirely new chapter in his career, this move to PARIVISION almost seems too perfect. 

🔥 Clement «Puppey» Ivanov joins PARIVISION Dota 2 roster as coach for DreamLeague S27

We thank Clement for his willingness to take on the coach role and help us in the upcoming tournament! pic.twitter.com/aelV64c2tY

— PARIVISION (@parivisiongg) December 9, 2025

For over a decade, Puppey has been a world-class captain who also handles drafting and macro strategy. It’s easy to say that Puppey already checks most of the boxes required of a strategic coach. 

There’s also a practical advantage: Puppey speaks Russian, and the entire PARIVISION roster is also Russian-speaking. Under Astini, the team had to communicate in English to overcome the language barrier, which was effective, but might not have been entirely natural for the players. 

When you look at elite Dota coaches like Team Spirit’s Airat “Silent” Gaziev and Team Falcons’ Kurtis “Aui_2000” Ling, there’s one clear trend: the best coaches were once great players. In that sense, Puppey doesn’t just fit the category – he could be the strongest example yet. 

Temporary Deal… for Now

Though this move is something many fans can look forward to, it isn’t a done deal. The PARIVISION organization clarified that Puppey’s involvement is initially only for DreamLeague Season 27. If the Dota legend can help the team win back-to-back DreamLeague seasons, or at least have them perform well, an extension of their partnership wouldn’t be out of the picture. 

For now, we’ll have to keep a close eye on PARIVISION throughout DreamLeague Season 27, which is an online tournament that runs from December 10 to 21.