2021 Top 20 Players Ranking, how much change?

#1

mEXsACHINE

After Champions last year, I held a survey to find out who the best Valorant pros are. The survey had 65,173 responses and the top 20 was:

GMB nAts
ACE cNed
SEN TenZ
TL ScreaM
NV yay
GMB Chronicle
FNC Derke
KRU keznit
C9 leaf
100T Asuna
ACE zeek
SEN ShahZaM
TL Jamppi
ACE starxo
TL Nivera
TL L1NK
GMB d3ffo
NV crashies
SEN SicK
100T Ethan

Since it's already Stage 1 Playoffs for each region, how much do you think the top 20 would change?
Is Chronicle the best?
nAts and TenZ out of top 5?
Derke > Scream? pennyS top 10?
ardiis, Shao, trent, and Cryo top 20?

#2

ethanos

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where's bonkar?

#3

andrewdamf

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Tenz out of top 5? 💀 Not even top 100 anymore

#19

_wrld_

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100 is an exaggeration but agreed tenz fell off for a while and continues to not perform compared to masters 1 and 2.

#20

sheahhhh

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why u always have a hate b0ner for tenz, he bone ur mom or sum

#48

andrewdamf

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Why do you have a love b0ner for tenz, he bone you or sum

#52

sheahhhh

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i can tell by ur 1 star that ur a degenerate

#53

andrewdamf

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Says the dude named "sheahh" that defends tenz with his life since the day he created his account.

#4

valvenq

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Do you have any other data? This is great

#7

mEXsACHINE

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The only other significant survey I had was the one after Masters Stage 3 last year which had around 21k responses. Here's the top 20 from back then:

GMB nAts
SEN TenZ
ACE cNed
NV yay
TL ScreaM
100T Asuna
SEN ShahZaM
100T nitr0
GMB Chronicle
G2 keloqz
GMB Sheydos
G2 nukkye
NV crashies
SEN SicK
100T Ethan
G2 mixwell
GMB d3ffo
GMB Redgar
ACE starxo
NV Victor

I feel like the rankings after Champions is more accurate though. I'll try to make more surveys after each Masters to see each player's progression throughout the year.

#47

ItsHunter

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this really solidifies how its just a popularity contest, esp seeing how Nats was getting a ton of recognition at the time

#54

Giannero

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Nats actually was the best player after masters 3

#5

makoidk

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lol where is mattgg2015, he never finished his top 20 players rankings

#6

delusional_sentinels_fan1

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I would wait until the end of stage 1 at least to revisit this. Playoffs can change so many of the narratives for this year.

#8

swaglord69

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sen tenz😹

#9

Delusional_Mitch_Fan

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WHERE IS MITCH KID?

#10

vanns

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ACE zeek best at not getting exposed, smart decision by him, starxo tho 😂😂

#26

NG1nS

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??

#11

andreziN

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where heat
where sacy
where saadhak

#12

atid555

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Only EMEA
1.Chronicle
2.Derke
3.nAts
4.Nukkye
5.cNed

#14

delusional_sentinels_fan1

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I think for this stage Nukkye>nAts tbh

#13

_wrld_

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NO SEA PLAYERS???? FORSAKEN, DUBSTEP in 2021 did deserve a spot. Patiphan, Crws?

#15

DrudaL

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base on voting

#18

_wrld_

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Obviously, but people who watched champions should surely have some basic knowledge and respect for SEA players. I mostly follow NA EU and KR yet still know these players deserve it there.

#30

makoidk

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nope not a lot of people have respect for our skill (yet)

#45

ItsHunter

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dw its a popularity poll, it really doesnt speak anything to the skill of these players. Its normal for the idiot 10 year old western audience to vote this shit

#16

kndplayer

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there is no chance that nAts and keznit are not in the top 5,

if you watched Champions obviously...

#21

swaglord69

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nats is literally number 1 u blind bozo

#29

kndplayer

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btw

#44

ItsHunter

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u gud?

#17

justron40

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where is bonecold and sheydos?

#55

Giannero

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Bonecold will never be in a top 20 since people only look at frags

#22

Rabbiit

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Imagine not putting Heat and Sacy on the list 🐢

#23

Rainyy

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he didnt make the list himself it was a survey

#24

hikosbathwater

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you spelt hikosbathwater wrong at number 1

#25

WCPLAYZ

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how abt leo?
he was one the best players in emea in 2021 carrying guild

#27

werZy

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Seems like biased voting pool, no SEA/BR players KEKW

#28

Mca

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No SEA or BR players wow. Patiphan and Sacy have to Shit in Someones Head to be recognized.

#42

ItsHunter

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nah its more just a popularity poll honestly and somehow SEA and BR just havent gotten through yet to the majority north-western audience

#31

zardinez

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I'd say Chronicle is probably the best player in the world rn. Everytime we've seen him play, no matter what he's playing, he just balls out of control

#32

delusional_sentinels_fan1

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He's the one player where if a report about him cheating came out my reaction would be "yeah makes sense". Like his cross hair positioning, aim, and awareness are so fucking insane.

#33

jackb2016

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it always looks like he has the spray pattern exactly memorized

#41

ItsHunter

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yes he 100% is, but ofc the ppl that watch val are idiot 10 year olds that dont understand what the fuck makes a good player, so this list is honeslty not surprising. Its more like a popularity poll honestly

#34

bannaer

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where is wardell????

#35

Angry

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no asians and brazillians?

#36

TSM_Shreyash

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nats will claim his no1 spot

#37

mEXsACHINE

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For those asking for the players outside NA/EMEA, I've looked back at the list.
#21. VK heat
#24. X10C Patiphan
#25. VK Sacy
#26. VS stax
#34. KRU Klaus
#37. VS BuZz
#38. VS Lakia
#41. VS Rb
#42. KRU delz1k
#50. KRU NagZ
#51. VS Mako
#52. VS k1ng
#53. KRU Mazino
#54. X10C sushiboys
#56. TS DubsteP
#57. VK mwzera

Also, if anyone's asking:
#48. TSM Wardell

#38

carl123

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Imagine No.24 better than No.3 but just lesser popular KEKW

#40

ItsHunter

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Imagine no.24 better than No.1 just less popular

#50

carl123

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nAts is not duelist player
and cNed is better in term of OP but patiphan has better mechanics control

#39

ItsHunter

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Its crazy how ignorant the west are to SEA or just asia players in general I cant believe NOT A SINGLE ONE is on the list esp after champions. Im disappointed.

#43

ciro

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just a popularity contest, or else tenz wouldnt be 3rd, scream wouldnt be 4th, asuna wouldnt even make top 20

#46

queueK

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Chronicle was undoubtedly top 5 throughout Champs, and definitely has a serious bid for 1st place now.

I'd place current Derke above Scream.

nAts as of late has had an upward trend from a shaky start to challengers. Still, I think he's been getting less and less impact on the role he used to play back in M3 and Champs. I wouldn't put him at first place, but out of the top 5 is still too far a drop for a player of his calibre.

TenZ is out. IMO he wasn't in the top 5 since Masters 3.

I think Crashies, Ethan, and Sick may get superceded by one or two of Trent, Penny, Ardiis, or Shao. Cryo doesn't look like top 20 material to me.

Definitely a pretty insane lack of any APAC representation in this list. Patiphan last year was top 20 AT LEAST. This year, if PRX makes it, I'm very confident in f0rsaken and Jingg making this list too.

#49

queueK

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Nukkye has been absolutely incredible lately too. He entries, he frags, and he has solid calls.

However, I think it will be difficult for G2 to qual through EMEA competition this year. Maybe, they might get through if M3C qual and have VISA issues.

#51

ZoldyK

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Ardiis top5
Shao top 10

#56

Giannero

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Shao needs more recognition imo

#57

Dokka

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After last few games, no shot nAts isn’t top 5

#58

MrRaptor

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L screaM should be 1st
and also 2nd and 3rd

#59

yamidarkgami

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imagine Patiphan better than top 10 from west.