The wait is finally over. The HLTV Top 20 Players of 2025 have been revealed, cementing the legacy of a season defined by youth, aggressive rifling, and massive roster shuffles. As the dust settles on the HLTV Awards ceremony, one name stands above the rest, while a new challenger from Kazakhstan has completely reshaped the hierarchy of the top tier.
Here is your comprehensive look at the best Counter-Strike 2 players of 2025.
The Top 3: The Vitality Era
1. Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut (Vitality)
- The King Returns: After ceding the throne in 2024, ZywOo bounced back with arguably the most complete year of his career. He secured 8 MVP medals in 2025, tying s1mple’s record for most MVPs in a calendar year.
- Historic Achievement: With this win, ZywOo becomes the first player in history to win 4 HLTV Player of the Year awards, officially breaking the tie with s1mple (3).
2. Danil “donk” Kryshkovets (Team Spirit)
The Sophomore Slump? Hardly: The 2024 Player of the Year continued his reign of terror, posting the highest raw rating of the year (1.35 at Big Events). However, a lack of team trophies in the second half of the season pushed him to the runner-up spot. Donk still claimed the Highlight of the Year for his 1v5 clutch against Vitality.
3. Robin “ropz” Kool (Vitality)
- Transfer of the Year: The biggest storyline of 2025 was ropz leaving FaZe Clan to join Vitality on a free transfer. The move paid off immediately. Ropz reinvented the lurking role within Vitality’s system, forming a deadly trio with ZywOo and flameZ. His clutch ability in the late rounds was the difference-maker in Vitality’s Major runs.
The Breakout Star: Molodoy (#6)
The shock of the ranking is Danil “molodoy” Golubenko.
Playing for the newly formed “CIS-Brazil” alliance under FURIA, molodoy shocked the world. After joining the roster in April alongside YEKINDAR (#15), the Kazakh AWPer helped FalleN (who transitioned to a rifling IGL role) lead FURIA to a renaissance. Molodoy was rightfully named Rookie of the Year, debuting at an incredible #6 on the list.ngdu Grand Final alone, molodoy has firmly established himself as a top-tier sniper.
Top 20 HLTV Players of 2025
The 2025 ranking reflects a global shift, with South American and Asian teams claiming more spots than ever before.
- ZywOo (Vitality)
- donk (Team Spirit)
- ropz (Vitality)
- m0NESY (Falcons) — Despite a trophyless year, his individual brilliance keeps him in the top 5.
- sh1ro (Team Spirit)
- molodoy (FURIA)
- flameZ (Vitality)
- frozen (FaZe Clan)
- KSCERATO (FURIA)
- Spinx (MOUZ)
- Twistzz (FaZe Clan)
- mezii (Vitality) — Named “Anchor of the Year.”
- Senzu (The MongolZ)
- XANTARES (Aurora)
- YEKINDAR (FURIA)
- xertioN (MOUZ)
- torzsi (MOUZ)
- NiKo (Falcons) — His lowest placement in years.
- iM (Natus Vincere)
- b1t (Natus Vincere)
Key Takeaways from the 2025 Season
Vitality’s Superteam Success With four players in the Top 20 (ZywOo, ropz, flameZ, mezii), Vitality was the most represented team of the year. Their strategic depth allowed them to remain a constant threat in every grand final.
FURIA’s Renaissance The addition of YEKINDAR (#15) and molodoy (#6) revitalized the Brazilian giants. Combined with the steady hand of KSCERATO (#9), FURIA has returned to the elite table, proving that their international roster experiment was a massive success.
MOUZ’s Consistency Despite losing key pieces, MOUZ rebuilt quickly. The acquisition of Spinx (#10) gave them the firepower needed to stay competitive, placing three players on the list.
The Falcons Project While m0NESY (#4) had a spectacular individual year, the Falcons “superteam” struggled to convert stats into trophies. NiKo (#18) barely made the cut, signaling a potential changing of the guard for the legendary rifler.
As we look ahead to 2026, the scene is more competitive than ever. Can donk maintain his form? Will molodoy push for the top 3? The new season promises to be just as unpredictable.