Who were the 5 best Valorant Sentinels of VCT 2023?

Over the years, the Sentinel role on Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) teams has become increasingly blurred. Many players are seen switching onto a Sentinel (more often than not, Killjoy) per the team's composition requirements. However, there are still players who primarily stick to Agents from this class, irrespective of the team composition.

This article will look at some of the best Valorant players who main the Sentinel role for their team on the biggest stages in the world.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's opinions.

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Best Valorant Sentinels of VCT 2023

1) Less

Less (Image via Flickr.com/Riot Games)

LOUD Valorant's primary Sentinel is Felipe "Less" de Loyola. Born in 2005, he is one of the youngest players in the tier-1 pro circuit. However, his prowess on Agents like Killjoy and Viper is at par with the best in the world.

Less is a reliable site anchor and an incredible lurker. Breaking into a site he is on is a tall task, even for players of the highest caliber. He had a pivotal role in LOUD's victory at Americas League 2023, and even though the team did not secure any other tournament victories this year, it has been a remarkable journey for Less.

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2) Alfajer

Alfajer (Image via Flickr.com/Riot Games)

Arguably the best Sentinel player in the world right now, Emir "Alfajer" Ali Beder shared in an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda that he believed that it was his aim that set him apart from other players of his class.

Alfajer played a key role in Fnatic's victory over LOUD at LOCK//IN Sao Paulo. While the team functioned like a well-oiled machine for the better part of the year, it did not take a hit even once. The Turkish youngster missed out on the first part of the EMEA League owing to visa issues, but he more than made up for it with stellar games over the rest of the season.

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3) nAts

nAts (Image via Team Liquid)

Ayaz "nAts" Akhmetshin is Russian player who made the Sentinel role "cool" with his top-tier Cypher gameplay under the Gambit banner in 2021 and 2022. In 2023, he was a member of the Team Liquid squad, with whom he won the EMEA League, defeating the fan favorites Fnatic.

Although he missed out on the limelight because of Team Liquid's mediocre performances at Masters Tokyo and Valorant Champions Los Angeles, nAts still rules the hearts of fans across the world who draw inspiration from the setups he uses in his official matches as well as livestreams.

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4) Boostio

Boostio (Image via Flickr.com/Riot Games)

Kelden "Boostio" Pupello is one of the in-game leaders in Valorant esports currently. Incidentally, he is also the primary Sentinel for the squad. His mid-round calling and ability to adjust to curveballs thrown by opponents were some of the main reasons that drove Evil Geniuses to the position of world champions.

As a Sentinel, Boostio's go-to Agent has been Killjoy. However, he also played Chamber in some matches. Another aspect that makes Boostio a great Sentinel is strategic aggression on defense. This often gets his team a crucial man advantage, allowing them to convert the round into a win.

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5) CHICHOO

CHICHOO (Image via Flickr.com/Riot Games)

Wan "CHICHOO" Shunji, the Sentinel player for EDward Gaming, is one of the pivotal players for the Chinese Valorant squad. He has been an expert at holding down sites on his own. In most cases, he would get more than one kill before his teammates could come in to help, making retakes much easier.

Being a Sentinel main, he was often outshone by the flashy plays of his teammate ZmjjKK, who is possibly the name that comes to mind when one thinks of EDG's Valorant team. That said, without CHICHOO's ability to anchor sites, EDG might not have seen the level of success they did in 2023.