5 players who defined era of Dota 2 as leading game of our time

Fans know today’s esports superstars all too well, such as the young carry Satanic, the reigning world champion Malr1ne, and the offlaner Collapse, MVP of EWC 2025. But what about the players who stood at the very origins of professional Dota 2 and helped bring the game to a global audience? In this 1xBet review, we take a look at five legendary Dota 2 players.

Danil “Dendi” Ishutin

A true icon of early Dota 2, Dendi made history with Natus Vincere by winning the first-ever The International 2011 in Cologne. Dendi took silver at the next two world championships, cementing his place among the best Dota 2 players. His play was so spectacular and entertaining that it attracted a whole generation of young esports players to PC clubs, eager to emulate his success. After nearly a decade with Natus Vincere, Dendi went on to found his own esports organization, B8, continuing his journey in the professional scene.

Johan “N0tail” Sundstein

The Danish player competed for several years for well-known teams such as Fnatic, Team Secret, and Cloud9, but he only achieved fame after founding his own team, OG, in 2015. As team captain, N0tail took a record four Majors in just two years, then went on to win two consecutive world championships in 2018 and 2019 (a record that still stands today). It is noteworthy that the captain led a squad from open qualifiers to victory at his first The International 2018! The team arrived at their second TI as favorites. Still, once again, N0tail managed to motivate the players for victory, solidifying their chemistry and establishing himself as the symbol of a truly successful captain.

Illya “Yatoro” Mulyarchuk

The most charismatic and memorable character, who constantly experiments with hairstyles and nicknames, and pushes Dota 2’s media presence to new heights. It is his poster that you are most likely to find on a teenager’s wall who dreams of a professional esports career. However, his unusual style and regular scandals do not prevent the divine Yatoro from showing what matters most — impressive, effective, and spectacular gameplay. Not least thanks to his ice-cold composure in crucial moments, Team Spirit claimed two world championship titles in 2021 and 2023, conquered the esports Olympics, the Riyadh Masters 2023, and the Esports World Cup 2025, as well as many other major Dota 2 tournaments.

Amer “Miracle-” Al-Barkawi

One of the most gifted players of his generation, he stood out for his exceptional individual skill. His mechanical prowess, including precise micro-control and fast reactions, is widely regarded as benchmark level, and highlight demos of his iconic plays are still used to train new players. Miracle- was never confined to a single role: at different stages of his career, he dominated both midlane and carry, showcasing a level of versatility unusual for a pro player. His greatest achievement was winning The International 2017 with Team Liquid.

Rafli “Mikoto” Fathur Rahman

This young player embodies the new generation of Indonesian esports athletes. He became the first representative of his country to reach 10,000 MMR and continues to progress. Mikoto’s popularity skyrocketed after the IESF World Esports Championship 2022, where the national Dota 2 team, with him on board, defeated their archrivals from the Philippines in the grand final.

Mikoto spent most of his professional career at Talon Esports. However, at the end of last year, he moved to the promising Aurora Gaming team, whose main sponsor is the international brand 1xBet. In early 2026, Mikoto achieved an impressive 31-game winning streak with this squad! He is rightly considered one of the best mid laners in the Asian region, demonstrating the strength of Indonesian players in practice and attracting new fans to the exciting world of Dota 2.