If you want to be the star of the show in any Dota 2 match, the carry role is exactly what you want to play. It’s the position that’s entrusted with closing out games and taking over late-game fights. However, the job requires confidence and the ability to make the right decisions under pressure. 

Here are the 10 best carry players in Dota 2 who have propelled their teams to victory when they’re needed most.

Top 10 Carry Players In Dota 2 In 2026

Our ranking is solely based on a player’s performances during the 2025 and early 2026 competitive season. Here is how we’ve ranked the best Dota 2 carry players in the world:

Top 10 Best Carry Players In Dota 2 Ranked

We have evaluated every player based on their consistency, mechanical skill, late-game impact, and—most importantly—how well they performed at the biggest tournaments. After all, that is where carry players are truly tested under the highest pressure.

#10. Taras “gotthejuice” Linnikov (Natus Vincere)

If you’re looking for a new face to cheer for in 2026, it’s NAVI’s carry player gotthejuice. Though it’s hard to prove whether he actually has the juice, the stats suggest he does. 

The 20-year-old is one of the most efficient farmers in the Tier 1 scene, finishing top three in GPM, XPM, and Last Hits among all top-tier players. This puts gotthejuice on par with veteran players like Satanic and Yatoro!

He’s still relatively new to the highest level of Dota 2, so experience is something he’ll have to gather. However, gotthejuice is definitely a sleeper pick with a massive upside.

#9. Wang “Ame” Chunyu (Xtreme Gaming)

Ame is widely regarded as one of the best Dota 2 players to have never won TI. Though he had a relatively quiet year with Xtreme Gaming, he chose to pop off at just the right time.

At The International 2025, Ame reminded everyone why he is still a world-class carry, posting clutch performances throughout the event. He carried Xtreme Gaming to a silver medal, finishing within the top 3 across GPM, XPM, Last Hits, and Least Deaths at the event. 

Unfortunately, aside from a stellar performance at TI, Ame was mostly inconsistent throughout the remainder of the season. But, if there’s a player that never gives up—it’s him. We can always count on Ame to bounce back.

#8. Ilya “Kiritych” Ulyanov (BetBoom Team)

Kiritych spent most of the 2025 season struggling to find his footing on a stable team before the BetBoom Team gave him a shot. He was tasked with filling big shoes following Pure’s departure to Tundra, so he was given massive expectations from the get-go. 

Though he hasn’t played in too many Dota 2 tournaments with the BetBoom Team, he made those opportunities count. He helped the team achieve 2nd place at DreamLeague Season 26 and FISSURE Playground 2 and ended the year with a top-4 finish at PGL Wallachia Season 6.

We haven’t seen a huge sample size of Kiritych’s gameplay yet, but he’s done a good job in helping the BetBoom Team maintain its position as one of the top Dota 2 teams in the world. So far, Kiritych has been playing “solid” games, but we’d love to see him stand out a little more in 2026.

#7. Alimzhan “watson” Islambekov (Team Yandex)

Team Yandex’s watson is notorious and is widely recognized as being the best Dota 2 pub player.

You’ll often find him ranked #1 on the Dota 2 leaderboard for Europe, which essentially means he has the highest MMR in the entire world. However, he’s caught a lot of criticism for struggling to turn that individual skill into consistent results on the professional stage.

Fortunately, things started to change when he joined Team Yandex. With his new team, watson hit a new stride, winning DreamLeague Season 27, his first-ever Tier 1 tournament victory. 

There’s nobody who doubts watson’s mechanics. But the real question has always been whether he can translate his Dota 2 rank into solid performances on stage—and 2026 looks like the year he finally proves he can.

#6. Michael “miCKe” Vu (Team Liquid)

miCKe is another carry who is no stranger to criticism. However, he has silenced most of the haters with a TI title under his belt.

The Swede is known for his laning stage prowess, which is why you’ll often see him at the top of the net worth charts at the 10-minute mark. What makes miCKe stand out, though, is his exceptional play under pressure.

After all, there’s a reason why Team Liquid always pulls off insane lower bracket runs, and his ability to show up when needed most is what separates him from most Dota 2 carry players in the pro scene.

After TI14, miCKe’s longtime laning partner, Aydin “Insania” Sarkohi, retired from professional play. With their partnership spanning nine years, miCKe now has to face huge adjustments, especially in the laning stage, heading into the new season.

#5. Remco “Crystallis” Arets (MOUZ)

Crystallis is a carry player who’s gotten a lot of hate, but frankly speaking, he’s shown huge improvement. He started 2025 wearing the Tundra jersey, where he won BLAST Slam III and placed top 8 at The International 2025. 

However, he was eventually kicked from the team and joined MOUZ, which turned out to be a blessing. Over the course of only two months, Crystallis and MOUZ made multiple deep runs at premier events and even managed to win PGL Wallachia Season 6, giving him his second trophy to end the year. 

Beyond that, Crystallis and MOUZ have had a great start to the 2026 season, taking down all competition, including the reigning TI14 champions, Team Falcons, in qualifiers.

Love him or hate him, Crystallis has an extremely strong work ethic. He played the highest number of Tier 1 maps last year—a total of 279. No matter how many times he gets kicked, you can always count on him to bounce back.

#4. Illya “Yatoro” Mulyarchuk (Team Spirit)

Yatoro is undoubtedly one of Dota’s all-time greats—and he no longer has anything to prove. He has incredible mechanics, flawless itemization, and is arguably the best late-game carry in the world. 

Team Spirit didn’t have the strongest 2025 season, apart from winning the Esports World Cup. The team would often fall behind in the laning stage, but made games competitive because Yatoro would always find a way back in.

He’s responsible for helping Team Spirit pull off some of the most ridiculous comebacks this year. Yatoro is also still one of the world’s best farmers. You can find him in the top 3 in GPM, XPM, and Last Hits across players from all roles in Dota 2.

Even though stats don’t lie, we haven’t seen the same spark we did during his peak.

#3. Oliver “skiter” Lepko (Team Falcons)

skiter may not be the flashiest player, but he’s definitely one of the most functional. He’s known for his selfless playstyle, where he chooses to share farm across his teammates Malr1ne and ATF, both of whom are widely regarded as being among the best players in their respective roles.

His value comes from his incredible adaptability. He performs well in games where he has low net worth, but he’s also reliable enough to close out games if he’s playing a traditional carry hero with all the farm. 

More recently, skiter joined the two-time TI winner club by winning TI14, showing that he enjoys winning more than padding stats. It’s safe to say that there are high expectations for skiter in the 2026 season.

#2. Ivan “Pure” Moskalenko (Tundra Esports)

Pure is hands-down one of the most mechanically gifted carries in the world, and chooses a very volatile playstyle. He’s the definition of “high-risk, high-reward,” meaning he can singlehandedly lose you games or drag the team through a seemingly impossible comeback. 

Watching him play also feels like you’re on a rollercoaster at full speed. Pure spent most of the year under BetBoom Team, consistently making deep runs, including top 4 at The International 2025. However, he moved to Tundra Esports, where he has already won two BLAST Slam titles. 

The Russian carry has an insanely high skill ceiling and is always one of the most entertaining carries to watch, especially when he pulls out his Divine Rapier shenanigans. Now that he has a reliable team behind him, there’s no telling how far Pure can go in 2026.

#1. Alan “Satanic” Gallyamov (PARIVISION)

Satanic was the breakout star of 2025 and Rookie of the Year. This teenager is a statistical monster. He topped the charts on numerous metrics: Least Deaths, GPM, XPM, and Last Hits across all roles. There is also no doubt he’s the most efficient farmer in the world. 

However, there’s one thing that holds him back: his lack of experience. At only 18 years old, there are moments where Satanic’s youth shows, cracking under late-game pressure. Even so, he has still accomplished a lot in his breakout year—and is expected to do a lot more in 2026.

Satanic won ESL One Raleigh, made deep runs at almost every event, and even finished top 3 at his debut TI. For this Russian star, the sky is the limit. He’s viewed as Dota’s next generational superstar.

FAQs

Who is the best carry player in Dota 2?

Alan “Satanic” Gallyamov stands out as the best carry at the start of 2026, especially after considering his elite farming with consistent results at top-tier Dota 2 events last year.

Is Yatoro the best carry player in Dota 2?

It’s definitely up for debate. Yatoro is widely considered one of the greatest carries of all time, but in 2026, he ranks behind Satanic, Pure, and skiter based on overall results and consistency.

Who is the best Dota 2 player ever?

There is no single definitive answer, but players like Yatoro, N0tail, Miracle-, and Ana are most often regarded as some of the best Dota 2 players due to their achievements and lasting impact on the game.

What is the carry role in Dota 2?

The carry is the team’s primary late-game damage dealer. It’s the equivalent of the ADC in League of Legends, mainly focused on farming early and scaling into the mid and late game.

Why did Miracle stop playing Dota?

Amer “Miracle-” Al-Barkawi stepped away from the pro scene, citing ongoing health issues and burnout.