Best VALORANT players in the world

What defines who the best VALORANT player is? It’s no simple task since there are multiple factors to consider on top of a bottomless pool of professional players worldwide.

But looking at the factors that would determine who the best players in the world are, it came down to three that stood out: Consistent stats and numbers, considerable play potential, and pure winning. You’re among the greatest if you can consistently provide in-game value, highlights, and victories.

So, who stands above the rest? Here are our picks for the best VALORANT players.

The best VALORANT players in 2023

5) Max “Demon1” Mazanov

Max “Demon1” Mazanov wowed as Evil Geniuses’s best VALORANT player in 2023. He ended at the Valorant World Championships with the highest VLR rating, Kill/Death ratio, Kills Per Round, and headshot percentage. It’s safe to say that Max is a rising star, and with how he ended things, the sky is the limit.

4) Leo “Leo” Jannesson

Leo “Leo” Jannesson showed star potential with Guild in 2021 and 2022, and that’s beginning to be unlocked since his move to Fnatic. At VCT LOCK//IN 2023, he earned Dot Esports’ MVP selection for the tournament and earned the same honors from VLR and THESPIKE.GG. He was voted the official Grand Finals MVP, showing that he is clearly among the best VALORANT players.

He ended the tournament third in K/D, sixth in KAST percentage, produced the most total clutches with 13, the fifth most multi-kill rounds, and did all that with the second least amount of deaths per round. He was the focal point and standout player for multiple Fnatic maps, including their first two wins over LOUD in the grand finals.

3) Nikita “Derke” Sirmitev

Nikita “Derke” Sirmitev may have been statistically outdone by his Fnatic teammate Leo. Still, the Finnish superstar’s overall body of work over the past two years and during VCT LOCK//IN speaks for itself. Additionally, Derke proved once again that he is indeed the king of Icebox and could be the best VALORANT player at the end of the day.

Derke dominated Fnatic’s opening three LOCK//IN series versus Sentinels, FURIA, and 100T. And while he had a relatively quiet showing versus NAVI and LOUD overall, he was the catalyst for Fnatic’s memorable championship comeback on Icebox.

2) Andrey “Shao” Kiprsky

Andrey “Shao” Kiprsky has taken an enormous step forward in 2023. Already a tremendously valuable part of the former FPX/now NAVI core heading into this year, his numbers in São Paulo made him look like the Wilt Chamberlain of VALORANT, or simply the best VALORANT player.

Shao finished VCT LOCK//IN with the second-highest K/D at 1.63 and the highest KAST percentage at 87 percent. But without the loss against Fnatic, those numbers are borderline historic: 2.29 K/D and a KAST percentage of 91 percent before the playoffs.

1) Erick “Aspas” Santos

The world’s best duelist delivered when it mattered most during LOUD’s world championship run at Champions 2022. Erick “Aspas” Santos dominated the Brazilian competition and was among the best VALORANT and international players across Jett, Raze, and Chamber. He propelled himself into the top two thanks to a series of incredible plays he made to close out a strong year for LOUD.

His big play potential continues to loom over any server he’s in as of 2023. Even after navigating some roster changes and a coaching change, aspas has still established himself as the top Jett player in the world after some outstanding performances at VCT LOCK//IN.

So, there you have it—some of the best VALORANT players currently in the scene. Clearly, the sky is the limit for these guys.