North America (NA) has always been a nostalgic region for Dota 2, with many historic events and legendary runs unfolding on American soil. It's a region that has birthed stars, from world champions like Kurtis "Aui_2000" Ling, to meme legends like Jacky "EternaLEnVy" Mao, and current top-tier competitors like Quinn "Quinn" Callahan.

But now, the people have spoken - and they’ve chosen their most iconic North American representative: the prodigious midlaner and The International 2015 champion,  Sumail "SumaiL" Hassan .

Raleigh Crowd Declares SumaiL The NA Icon

ESL revealed the fan-voted result shortly after the conclusion of ESL One Raleigh, a major Dota 2 tournament part of the prestigious and highly lucrative ESL Pro Tour. Held in North Carolina, United States, the event marked ESL Dota 2's return to North America for the first time since ESL One New York 2015.

While NA may be somewhat dead competitively, Dota 2 enthusiasts in the region remain robust as we witnessed an overwhelming reception to ESL One Raleigh.

Behind the scenes, ESL conducted a crowd poll, asking attendees to name the most iconic NA player in their eyes. The majority chose the American-Pakistani prodigy, SumaiL, who was also competing at the event with Nigma Galaxy.

SumaiL's Long Decorated History

Most Dota 2 players would have known the legendary story of SumaiL’s rise. At just 15 years old, SumaiL had outplayed and outsmarted top-tier Dota 2 players, winning the Dota 2 Asia Championship (DAC) 2015 with Evil Geniuses. A few months later, he cemented his name on the Aegis of Champions by becoming the youngest-ever winner of The International - a record unbroken til this very day.

Widely considered one of the greatest midlaners of all time, SumaiL is known for his flashy performances on heroes like Storm Spirit and Shadow Fiend. In the following years, he continued to shine on the TI stage, securing 3rd-place finishes in both TI6 and TI8.

Though recent years have seen SumaiL fade somewhat from the top tier, especially during his challenging stint with Nigma Galaxy, his legacy endures. As this fan vote confirms, SumaiL remains the most iconic North American Dota 2 pro - and this isn't even the end. The prodigious midlaner still has a long road ahead of him for more flashy zip zaps!