XANTARES makes history as oldest first-time Top 20 entry

One of Counter-Strike's best aimers, XANTARES etches his name in the books as the first player to debut in HLTV's Top 20 at age 29, marking a milestone in his decade-long journey for recognition. The Turkish rifler's exceptional year, characterized by outstanding individual performances and crucial tournament runs fetches him the #15 spot in HLTV's Top 20 Players of 2024.

XANTARES's path to professional Counter-Strike began in Istanbul's local LAN scene, leading to his breakthrough with Space Soldiers. After departing from the Turkish roster in late 2018, citing teammate motivation issues, he took the international leap to BIG, choosing the German organization over established names like MOUZ and FaZe, largely influenced by his connection with gob b.

The Turkish star's 2024 campaign kicked off at IEM Katowice, where Eternal Fire showed promise despite group stage elimination. The season's turning point came at the PGL Copenhagen Major, Counter-Strike 2's inaugural Major, where XANTARES delivered a stellar 1.35 rating performance in the Challengers Stage, pulling Eternal Fire through to the next stage with victories against The MongolZ, paIN, and GamerLegion.

The Major proved to be a historic achievement for Turkish Counter-Strike, with Eternal Fire becoming the first Turkish squad to reach the top eight at a Major. XANTARES's performance against top-tier competition was particularly noteworthy, posting an impressive 114 ADR against Vitality and contributing to a dominant 13-1 victory over FaZe on Overpass.

ESL Pro League Season 20 marked XANTARES's peak performance for the year. The tournament saw him lead Eternal Fire to their first Big Event grand final, another milestone for Turkish CS. His standout moment came in the quarter-finals against Vitality, where he topped the server with 40 frags in a triple-overtime thriller on Inferno, securing a 1.63 rating in the process.

The veteran rifler's stats in 2024 places him among the elite, boasting the fourth-highest Big Event rating at 1.17 and the sixth-best rating against top 20 opponents (1.16) at notable events. His aggressive playstyle translated into impressive numbers across the board: 82.7 ADR (7th), 1.26 Impact (5th), and consistent contribution towards round wins with 1.02 kills per round win (9th).

I believe this is where I belong, all those years of hard work finally paid off."
XANTARES on making the Top 20

XANTARES's consistency is further highlighted by his ability to deliver high-impact performances, ending 55.8% of maps above a 1.15 rating (5th highest). His achievements are particularly noteworthy given Eternal Fire's limited tournament attendance with just two arena maps in the mix coming at the Copenhagen Major.

The Turkish star's journey to the Top 20 was supported by crucial EVP recognition at the Copenhagen Major and ESL Pro League Season 20. These peak performances, combined with his outstanding individual stats, finally earned him the recognition that had eluded him in previous years despite similar individual excellence.

However, XANTARES's year wasn't without its challenges. The team struggled at smaller events where they were favorites, including disappointments at YaLLa Compass and Skyesports Championship. His performance at BB Dacha Belgrade fell below his yearly average, unable to secure the MVP award many had predicted for him.

With XANTARES announced at #15, the HLTV Top 20 Players of the Year 2024 currently reads as follows:

1. • T.B.A

2. • T.B.A

3. • T.B.A

4. • T.B.A

5. • T.B.A

6. • T.B.A

7. • T.B.A

8. • T.B.A

9. • T.B.A

10. • T.B.A

11. • T.B.A

12. • T.B.A

13. • T.B.A

14. • T.B.A

15. • XANTARES

16. • iM

17. • Jimpphat

18. • Ropz

19. • EliGE

20. • torzsi