Valorant Champions 2024 was the most anticipated tournament of this VCT season, and it lived up to the hype. The world championship delivered a whirlwind of emotions and unexpected twists, making it hard to predict the outcomes of the matches. In this article, we’ll look at the five biggest surprises and the two most significant disappointments among the teams at Valorant Champions 2024.

Surprises

After analyzing the performances of all the teams at Valorant Champions 2024 and comparing them to their previous achievements and the expectations of fans and analysts, we’ve identified five teams that truly surprised us this year.

EDward Gaming

EDward Gaming was the biggest surprise of the tournament. Despite mediocre performances in international competitions, though they dominated the Chinese scene, this team was considered an underdog, with most expecting them to only make it to the playoffs at best. However, EDward Gaming shocked everyone: not only did they eliminate several strong contenders for the championship, but they also claimed the world champion title themselves.achievement

• Key Moment: Winning Valorant Champions 2024 with only one loss throughout the tournament, in the group stage.

G2 Esports

Few expected much from G2 Esports, as just qualifying for the most prestigious tournament of 2024 was already an achievement for them. Just a year ago, this team played under the tag The Guard in the American Challengers league, and in 2024, they were competing on par with the world's best teams.

• Key Moment: Advancing from the group stage, where they defeated EDward Gaming, who eventually became champions.

Trace Esports

Trace Esports, a team that most experts and fans didn’t even consider a “dark horse,” was participating in its first international tournament in history. To everyone’s surprise, the team showed consistent and high-quality play throughout the tournament. Thanks to well-thought-out strategies, coordinated teamwork, and a bit of luck, they made it to the playoffs and finished in 7th-8th place.

• Key Moment: Advancing from Group C without a single loss, where the team was considered the weakest by viewers and experts.

Team Heretics

The new roster of Team Heretics, formed at the beginning of the season with young talents, became the sensation of the tournament. Initially, they were expected to perform well, but what they delivered exceeded all expectations. The team reached the grand final, where they were considered favorites, but unfortunately, they lost. Still, this match will be one the players will remember for the rest of their lives.

• Key Moment: Reaching the grand final of Valorant Champions 2024, eliminating several tournament favorites along the way.

Sentinels

Some may disagree that Sentinels were a surprise of the tournament, but we personally didn’t expect much from them, even with their success in the season and victory at VCT 2024: Masters Madrid. The reason for this was their dip in form and being placed in a tough group with Team Heretics and Gen.G Esports. However, the American team pleasantly surprised us.

• Key Moment: Advancing from the group stage, where they eliminated Gen.G Esports, and finishing fourth in the tournament.

Disappointments

Fortunately for the viewers, there were only two major disappointments among the teams at Valorant Champions 2024, but both were very painful for their fans. Let’s take a closer look at each case.

Paper Rex

Paper Rex, with star players on their roster and a silver medal from last year’s world championship, disappointed with their performance at Valorant Champions 2024. The team failed to deliver a worthy game, making serious mistakes that proved fatal. They did not make it out of the group stage, securing only one victory against the weakest team in their group.

• Key Moment: Failing to advance from the group stage despite having a roster that reached the silver medal at last year’s Valorant Champions.

Gen.G Esports

Gen.G Esports, considered the top contender for the championship, shocked their fans by failing early in the tournament. Two unsuccessful matches in the group stage, where they made numerous mistakes at critical moments, led to the team not even reaching the playoffs.

• Key Moment: Losing to a significantly weaker team in the group stage.

Valorant Champions 2024 will be remembered as a tournament full of unexpected twists and turns, with results that would be hard to believe if you hadn’t followed the championship. Young and ambitious teams managed to establish themselves on the Valorant competitive scene, while more experienced teams were left behind.