The best CS2 player: Skill, trophies, rating, and more
Who is the most dominant CS2 player right now?
Week after week, the title of top CS2 player often shifts among several prominent figures. To accurately determine who’s on top, factors such as map performance, rankings, and the number of trophies won must all be carefully considered.
After examining the data, we’ve found potential titles for the standout CS2 player, and here are the current frontrunners!
Who is the best CS2 player?
The current best professional CS:2 player, Danil “donk” Kryshkovets, who is the reigning HLTV Top 20 winner, is highly respected in the gaming community. He played a crucial role in Team Spirit’s triumph at the Perfect World Shanghai Major and frequently ranks at the top of the leaderboards at significant tournaments.
Instead of typically seeing AWPers leading the rankings in Counter-Strike, the team Donk deviates from this pattern by structuring their entire strategy around a standout player, Spirit, to maximize his potential for top-tier performance.
Donk’s accomplishments in 2025 include:
- 1st @ BLAST Bounty Spring 2025
- 2nd @ IEM Katowice 2025
- Top four @ ESL Pro League Season 21, BLAST Open Spring 2025
- 2nd in HLTV rating for 2025 (1.39 rating)
At present, Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut is widely regarded as the top CS2 professional player due to his impressive performances. It’s worth noting that he has been consistently recognized as one of the best, having won the HLTV top 20 three times. His exceptional form in 2025, marked by triumphs at IEM Katowice, EPL, and BLAST Open Spring, strengthens this argument, making a strong case for him being the best player in the game currently.
Since Vitality is currently the top team, and ZywOo holds the title as the best player in CS2, it’s undeniably appropriate to include him among the elite. Here’s a glimpse of the current top 20 rated players in significant tournaments for 2025:
Given that Vitality is now leading the pack as the number one team and ZywOo has earned his title as CS2’s premier player, it goes without saying that he deserves a spot on any top-tier list. Here follows an overview of the current top 20 players rated highly in major competitions for 2025:
| Ranking | Player | HLTV Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | ZywOo | 1.42 |
| 2nd | donk | 1.39 |
| 3rd | m0NESY | 1.28 |
| 4th | sh1ro | 1.22 |
| 5th | ropz | 1.19 |
| 6th | flameZ | 1.17 |
| 7th | NiKo | 1.14 |
| 8th | tN1R | 1.14 |
| 9th | XANTARES | 1.13 |
| 10th | PR | 1.12 |
| 11th | torzsi | 1.11 |
| 12th | KSCERATO | 1.11 |
| 13th | REZ | 1.11 |
| 14th | frozen | 1.10 |
| 15th | woxic | 1.10 |
| 16th | Twistzz | 1.09 |
| 17th | bodyy | 1.09 |
| 18th | Maka | 1.09 |
| 19th | NertZ | 1.09 |
| 20th | xertioN | 1.09 |
What makes a great CS2 player? HLTV rating, event wins
In various methods, we can assess the talent of professional players individually. Websites such as HLTV offer numerous statistics that track round-by-round influence, clutch success rate, participation in round victories, and many other factors. Over time, the HLTV rating synthesizes these stats into a single figure, helping fans gauge which player shone brightest during a specific match or tournament.
While a solo HLTV rating can provide some insight into a player’s abilities, it doesn’t always give a complete picture. This is especially true for those who play strategic roles like the in-game leader, as their contributions may not always show up individually in the HLTV rating due to their focus on leading and coordinating team efforts.
An aspect to take into account is the number of tournaments won by a team. Accumulating victories in quick succession tends to boost a team’s reputation, not just in Valve’s official rankings but also in terms of public perception. The most skilled player is often found on the winning team; however, it’s worth noting that exceptional players from losing teams have also made their mark in the past.
Towards the close of the year, various award ceremonies present the title of Best Player. This accolade is frequently employed by fans as a benchmark for determining the standout player throughout the year. Generally, people lean towards the top 20 rankings published by HLTV and whoever secures the number one position.
Here’s a list of past winners of the HLTV top 20:
| Year | Player |
|---|---|
| 2025 | TBD |
| 2024 | donk |
| 2023 | ZywOo |
| 2022 | s1mple |
| 2021 | s1mple |
| 2020 | ZywOo |
| 2019 | ZywOo |
| 2018 | s1mple |
| 2017 | coldzera |
| 2016 | coldzera |
| 2015 | olofmeister |
| 2014 | GeT_RiGhT |
| 2013 | GeT_RiGhT |
| 2012 | N/A |
| 2011 | NEO |
| 2010 | markeloff |
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2025-04-09 16:12