The 2024 Valorant World Champions have been crowned, and it is none other than the Chinese giants, Edward Gaming (EDG), led by their star duelist, Kang Kang. EDG played one of the best and most hype-filled Grand Finals Valorant has ever seen. After a brutal Grand Final that spanned all five maps, EDG took home the biggest trophy Valorant has to offer. Kang Kang, who brought an iconic moment last year, finally brought home the hardware after years of grinding with EDG.
Grand Finals Highlights
The match was a nail-biter, with moments like Kang Kang’s TP up and over—no kill to be found, but against the B team, absolutely nothing was left to chance. As true champions do, Kang Kang received a diamond MVP bracelet for his performance, going plus 39, breaking the B5 kill record with 111 kills and 26 first kills. That bracelet cost at least $635—a deserving reward for such an incredible Grand Final.
The series began with EDG, despite having the map veto advantage, losing their map pick of Haven to Team Heretics. However, EDG stole Team Heretics’ map pick, and the match continued in a back-and-forth fashion, ending on Valorant’s newest map, Abyss. It was the perfect, most hype-filled way to end the year.
The Journey from Masters Shanghai
To understand EDG’s success, it’s essential to revisit Masters Shanghai. EDG flamed out in that tournament, losing to Team Heretics and Paper Rex. It was disappointing from a team that was beginning to show superstar potential. After losing to Wolves Esports in the Chinese League a few weeks later, the decision was made to bench their IGL, Haowong, and replace him with Simon. After some time to settle in, Simon proved to be an excellent addition, leading the team to victory after victory and winning the Chinese Grand Final.
Champions is not only the biggest event of the year in terms of clout, stature, and prestige but also has the most teams competing, making it ripe for upsets. Despite their stellar performance, not many believed in EDG winning the whole thing. A pro player survey before the tournament did not mention EDG, nor did it include the entire Chinese region as likely to win Champs.
The Road to Victory
Once the tournament kicked off, EDG kept winning. Other than one loss to G2, the victories kept coming, including one against Paper Rex, a team that historically had their number. In an upper bracket run, they defeated Trace Esports, Masters Madrid-winning team Sentinels, and Leviathan, the Americas Champions. Their grand finals matchup against Team Heretics, who had defeated them first in Shanghai, couldn’t have been more poetic.
What also became clear later was that two players on EDG, Chichu and Nobody, were sick with fevers during the Grand Finals. Yet, in true Valorant fashion, EDG defeated Team Heretics in all five maps to become the 2024 Valorant World Champions.
Kang Kang’s Legacy
At just 20 years old, Kang Kang will be remembered as one of the best players to ever touch this game. His generational performance forced him to step up to the moment, showing off his fire. He became a legend, carrying EDG to victory almost single-handedly.
EDG’s victory cements their place in history with one of the best Grand Finals ever seen. But it’s important to remember that Valorant as an esport is incredibly arduous and unforgiving. Just look at EDG in Shanghai—two matches lost, and they were out. Never underestimate how deserving a Championship win is. It’s not a fluke or luck; it’s grit and skill.
