The Dota 2 esports circuit has been around for nearly 15 years, as it launched alongside the game. Throughout those years, many special players have competed in Dota 2’s competitive circuit, but only a few players have stood out. Among them, Johan ‘N0tail�Sundstein stands above all because of his unprecedented success and impact.

N0tail was a versatile player

During his career, N0tail played almost every role in Dota 2. He initially started as a position four (soft support) player at Fnatic but transitioned to the carry position after joining Team Secret and later OG. N0tail was always a game-changer in every position, including his time as a carry-mid hybrid in the first few years at OG, but most people know of his impact as a leader.

The last position he played was position five (hard support) when he served as OG’s captain. This was the most successful period of his career as he was the shot-caller for the team’s victory at The International 2018 and The International 2019.

He had multiple signature heroes during his time as a player, as he was an Io, Chen, and Enchantress specialist during his days as position four. However, he moved over to Meepo and Terrorblade when he was a carry, then Nature’s Prophet when he last played as a position five support player.

N0tail had a career full of iconic stories

Throughout his iconic career, N0tail was always a compelling player. At Fnatic, he was part of a team that succeeded in another game, Heroes of Newerth. They were outsiders, but they proved they belonged in Dota 2. When that project ended, he moved over to Team Secret alongside his Fnatic teammate Tal ‘Flyâ€?Aizik. 

That project did not end well, which led to the duo parting ways for a few months. They would reunite after The International 2015, creating OG. In the years after, N0tail and Fly led OG to multiple Valve Major victories, but not TI. That led to Fly leaving him in a sudden betrayal, but N0tail picked up the scraps and led OG to the TI8 and TI9 wins.

He is always a big name in the narratives about all-time greats as he experienced plenty of setbacks in his career. 

N0tail has a successful career to back his GOAT case

Despite all the setbacks, N0tail maintained his status as one of the most well-known Dota 2 players. The many victories at Valve Majors and TI made him the most successful esports player ever when it came to prize money. He is still unmatched today because of his achievements, which cements him as the greatest Dota 2 player ever.

Find more expert esports pieces here

The esports industry, with its multiple genres and various domestic tournaments within each game, captures just about everyone’s attention in the gaming world. Whether fans are into the FPS scene or the MOBA craze, esports is known for its wide stage that allows different types of pro players to shine in their respective games.

These individuals are not only the best in their games, but they could also be considered the best in the industry. Learn more about these iconic esports players and why they’re considered legends.

Lee ‘Faker�Sang-hyeok (League of Legends)

The greatest League of Legends player ever, Lee ‘Faker�Sang-hyeok, is unmatched in his achievements. It is hard not to pick him as the best player due to his unprecedented success with 10 LCK titles, two Mid-Season Invitational wins, and five World Championship titles.

His trophy case is superb, which rightfully earned him a place as League’s greatest-ever player. In League, Faker was known as ‘The Unkillable Demon King�due to his off-the-charts skills. He could out-play almost every opponent and remained a strong leader from the mid-lane. Faker can also play any champion at the highest level.

Considering he is the best player in League history, he could also be considered the greatest in esports history. League of Legends is the most popular game in the esports industry, so Faker is an optimal choice for being one of the best players across many esports games.

Johan ‘N0tail�Sundstein (Dota 2)

Finding his start in esports as a Heroes of Newerth (HoN) player, N0tail moved to Dota 2 in 2012. He played for Fnatic early on alongside fellow HoN legend Tal ‘Flyâ€?Aizik. During his early years, N0tail thrived as a position four support. He was superb at it, especially when he played heroes such as Io and Chen. 

When their time at Fnatic ended, Fly and N0tail moved to Team Secret, which was an unsuccessful stint for them. However, they finally found a home when they created Monkey Business, a team better known today as OG. 

With OG, they would win multiple Dota 2 Majors together, but never The International. Fly would then suddenly leave before the 2018 TI, but N0tail picked up the pieces and became the team captain. He would lead the team to back-to-back TI victories as the captain, beating Fly along the way. 

N0tail is not just a fantastic player who played almost every position. He was also a true leader. He has stepped away from competitive play for a long while, but he remains the highest-earning esports player ever, with US$7,184,163.05 in prize money in his name.

Oleksandr ‘s1mple�Kostyliev (Counter-Strike)

In terms of skill ceiling, it is hard to go against Oleksandr ‘s1mple�Kostyliev in Counter-Strike. He was a rising star in the CIS region during the mid-2010s. He is equally skilled with rifles and the AWP, which makes him one of the most explosive players in esports history.

Whether it’s Global Offensive or Counter-Strike 2, s1mple has always been a fantastic player. His biggest achievement to this day is winning the 2021 PGL Stockholm Major with Natus Vincere. Of course, the Intel Grand Slam trophy was also won in 2021, cementing s1mple as arguably the greatest player not only in CS but in esports. 

Lee ‘Flash�Young-ho (StarCraft)

As one of the original esports games, StarCraft: Brood War was always seen as the pinnacle of individual skill in competitive gaming. Lee ‘Flashâ€?Young-ho is considered the greatest in StarCraft history because he had unmatched skill with his micromanagement of units and trophies. 

His most successful year was 2010 when he reached the finals of eight major events and won five titles. He moved to StarCraft II in 2012, winning IEM Toronto in 2014, but he retired in 2015 before returning to Brood War in 2016. With that kind of mechanical ability, it is hard to go against Flash as one of the best in esports history.

Explore more about the esports world here