5 best Controller players to look out for at VCT Champions 2022: Istanbul

The upcoming VCT Champions 2022 will give all qualified players an opportunity to showcase their talents in the game on an international stage.

While we often see highlights of players using Agents like Jett, Reyna, Yoru, and Chamber, we sometimes forget about those who make these types of gameplay possible.

These overlooked players are an integral part of the team and are called Controllers. A team is heavily dependent on how and when a Controller uses their abilities.

Let us now take a look at the most dominating Controller players who will be participating in the VCT Champions 2022: Istanbul.

Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the writer

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Team Liquid Nivera, FURIA Esports Khalil, and 3 other great Controller players to watch in the VCT Champions 2022: Istanbul

1) Paper Rex Mindfreak

Paper Rex Mindfreak (Image via thespike.com)

Aaron “Mindfreak” Leonhart is a 22-year-old player from Indonesia who currently plays for Paper Rex.

Mindfreak, who primarily plays Controller for his team, has demonstrated the importance of a well-placed smoke many times over the course of his career.

Mindfreak has a pick rate of 41% on Viper across the past three months of the VCT 2022 circuit. He usually tends to the backlines. His passive and cold gameplay keeps opponents on their toes.

Mindfreak has mastered the toxin timings to the dot and can cut off the vision of the enemy team precisely when required. The upcoming matchups at the VCT Champions 2022 are expected to push his potential even further.

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2) Team Liquid Nivera

Team Liquid Nivera (Image via thespike.com)

Nabil “Nivera” Benrlitom is a 21-year-old player from Belgium who currently plays for Team Liquid. He previously played the Sentinel role but now serves as a Controller.

Nivera has a pick rate of 52% on Viper over the last three months of the VCT 2022 circuit. He is known for his ability to remove the heads of opponents cleanly. Pair this ability with an Agent who can half the map with a poisonous wall, and you get a player who can strike from anywhere.

With proper positioning, Nivera has the ability to convert rounds for his team.

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3) Optic Gaming Marved

Optic Gaming Marved (Image via thespike.com)

Jimmy “Marved” Nguyen is a 22-year-old player from Canada who currently represents Optic Gaming. He has a pick rate of 48% on Omen and a win rate of 60% so far.

Marved has consistently shown up to change the pace of a game so that his team can comfortably gain control of the map. His ability to quickly adapt to difficult situations enables his team to win rounds that might not have been in their favor otherwise.

Marved has a solid grip on his Agent, making him an important player to keep an eye on during matches.

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4) FURIA Esports Khalil

FURIA Esports Khalil (Image via thespike.com)

Khalil “Khalil” Schmidt is an 18-year-old player from Brazil who currently represents FURIA Esports. He is one of the youngest players to participate in the VCT Champions 2022.

Khalil has a pick rate of 44% on Omen and a win rate of 69% overall. Despite being a Controller, he is not one to back off from a fight. His ability to push enemies startles most teams. This gives his squad more time to flank and gain map control.

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5) DRX SugarZ3ro

DRX SugarZ3ro (Image via thespike.com)

Shota “SugarZ3ro” Watanabe is a 19-year-old player from Japan who currently plays for DRX. He has exceptional skills and flexibility, which helps his team adapt to difficult situations.

SugarZ3ro has a pick rate of 44% on Omen and an overall win rate of 69%. His ability to assess every situation accurately makes him a big asset for DRX. There are not many ways to counter him if he has a strategy in place already.

Teleporting to positions with pinpoint accuracy to assess enemy positioning or block a full-blown rush, SugarZ3ro times his utilities perfectly.