Welcome back to DDenied's 2024: Global 20, a countdown of the top 20 players in the world for 2024. Sorry for the week delay between this post and previous one as i have been busy with real life for the last week or so. I now should have enough time to keep getting one of these out each day until the end of the list.
Disclaimer: All stats are sourced from VLR.gg, and any rating mentioned refers to VLR Rating 2.0. It's important to note that events held in China were not fully tracked by VLR, leading to missing statistics. As a result, the average ratings for each player are calculated only from events where VLR data is available, which excludes all events in China. This skews the yearly averages, particularly for players in the China league.
Alfajer: Fnatic's Turkish Prodigy Chasing Champions
EMEA Number: 6
Global Number: 19
Average Rating: 1.10
Age: 19
Nationality: Turkish
Alfajer, the Turkish prodigy of Fnatic, returned in 2024 with high expectations following the team's remarkable 2023 season, which saw them capture two international trophies. However, the year started on a shaky note, with Fnatic falling short at EMEA Kickoff against an unexpected Karmine Corp, creating an early hurdle in their campaign.
Missing out on Masters Madrid, Alfajer and Fnatic entered EMEA Stage 1 with a renewed determination. Despite a narrow escape from the group stage via tiebreakers, they surged through the playoffs to claim their first domestic trophy of the partnership era, adding to their international accolades from the previous year. Throughout Kickoff and Stage 1, Alfajer consistently posted the second-best numbers on his team, underlining his importance to Fnatic’s success.
Unfortunately, that domestic momentum didn’t carry over to Masters Shanghai, where Fnatic exited early after just two matches. Despite Alfajer and Derke’s efforts to lead the team, they were unable to secure a win, resulting in a disappointing tournament.
Alfajer bounced back in EMEA Stage 2, delivering a stellar performance with a 1.15 rating, placing him joint 2nd on his team and among the top 10 players of the event. This helped Fnatic secure their second domestic trophy of the year. However, with Leo sidelined due to illness, Alfajer was shifted to a more flexible role, showcasing his adaptability.
At Champions, Alfajer’s form dipped slightly, contributing to a respectable but uninspiring 5th-6th finish for Fnatic. Despite this, Alfajer has been a consistent performer throughout the year, consistently ranking as the second-best player on his team. His slight decline at Champions likely cost him a higher spot in the Global 20, but he still secured a well-deserved 19th place ranking there and a 6th place in the EMEA 10.
Links
Global Number 20
PS
Thank you to everyone who read all the ones before this and I hope that readers old and new a like continue to enjoy this series.
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