The Valorant Champions 2023 playoffs are in their final stages, with only 4 teams remaining, which we continue to tell you about. We recently published a piece on the reigning champions LOUD, their journey to the tournament, and their chances of winning. Today, we will tell you about Fnatic, the main contenders for victory and possibly the most titled team in the world in the future.
The team appeared on the professional scene in February 2021 and began performing successfully in qualifiers in the European region after its formation. Three months after formation, the "Oranges" established themselves as impressive newcomers by securing the 2nd place at VCT 2021: Stage 2 Masters - Reykjavík. However, despite this result, the team did not win any tournaments in 2021, and the world championship that same year ended with them in 5th-8th place. The following season was not more successful; the team bombed Masters Reykjavík with an 11-12th place, took 4th at the subsequent Masters Copenhagen, and the world championship again ended with a 5-8th place finish.
The current and most successful VCT 2023 season
At the end of 2022, two new players joined Fnatic - Chronicle and Leo, marking a turning point in the team's history. Starting the new 2023 season, the team effortlessly won the major VCT 2023: LOCK//IN São Paulo, losing only 2 maps in the grand finals against LOUD. The "Oranges" didn't plan on stopping there and secured 2nd place in the regular VCT 2023: EMEA League season, losing in the grand finals to Team Liquid 1-3. Their next and so far last major achievement is the victory at the important VCT 2023: Masters Tokyo, where the team lost only 1 map against Evil Geniuses, which they later defeated in the grand finals with a score of 3-0. Thanks to two major wins, Fnatic is currently one of the most titled teams in the world, on par with world champions LOUD. Many fans dream of the team winning the current championship and making Valorant history as a dynasty, comparing them to Astralis in CS:GO or T1 in LOL.
Will Fnatic retain their title of favorites at the world championship?
The team started their participation in Valorant Champions 2023 as the primary favorite. Bookmakers gave the team odds of 2.0 to win the tournament and first place among the 16 participants. At the beginning of the tournament, the "Oranges" fully validated their title, emerging from Group C with two easy victories over Bilibili Gaming and ZETA DIVISION. However, the playoffs did not start well for them. In the first round, they faced their main opponents LOUD and were soundly defeated in both maps. It's unknown whether this was a "brilliant" strategy to drop into the losers' bracket and then advance to the grand finals through it, or if the team perhaps underestimated their opponents or overestimated their abilities. Despite the loss, Fnatic has already managed to redeem themselves with a victory over DRX and continue their tournament run. It's hard to say that the European team will be the winner of the tournament. After all, the defeat to the Brazilians has shifted fans' perspective of the team. Now, the "Oranges" no longer carry the title of invincible favorites, and considering their first lost map against DRX, where Fnatic suffered their most significant defeat in their history with a 1-13 score, it seems the team may be struggling with the championship's atmosphere.
Now you know the story of Fnatic's rise on the professional stage and their path to championship titles at major tournaments. The current championship is quite ambiguous. During the tournament, teams that were strong favorites get eliminated, while underdogs advance far into the playoff stage. Whether or not you believe in Fnatic's victory is up to you. Just a reminder, they face a very dangerous opponent ahead, who could potentially knock the Europeans out of the tournament.
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