The best CS2 players in 2025 are competing for the top position on HLTV's annual ranking. With ZywOo and donk posting nearly identical statistics throughout the year, the race for Player of the Year is the closest it has ever been. s1mple's return to competitive action adds further excitement to the landscape.
ZywOo – Mathieu Herbaut
Mathieu "ZywOo" Herbaut plays for Vitality and has been one of the most consistent players in the world since 2019. He has been named HLTV Player of the Year three times and holds the record jointly with s1mple. His AWP play combines mechanical precision with exceptional game sense, consistently producing ratings above 1.20 at tier-one events.
donk – Danil Kryshkovets
Danil "donk" Kryshkovets emerged as a breakout star in 2024 and carried that momentum into 2025. Playing for Team Spirit, donk's aggressive rifling style and extraordinary movement have made him one of the most exciting young players on the scene. His stats rival ZywOo's heading into the final Major of the year.
NiKo – Nikola Kovač
Nikola "NiKo" Kovač has appeared in the HLTV Top 20 nine times – a record he shares with device. Now playing with G2, NiKo remains one of the most complete riflers in the world, with consistent performances at every tier-one event. His K/D ratio and ADR have remained remarkably stable across multiple team changes.
s1mple – Oleksandr Kostyliev
After a period of reduced activity, s1mple returned to professional play in 2025 by joining FaZe Clan on loan from Natus Vincere. Despite the time away, his raw mechanics and AWP dominance remain intact. Whether he can push back into the Player of the Year conversation will depend on performance at the Austin Major and beyond.
device – Nicolai Reedtz
Nicolai "device" Reedtz is the second most decorated player in HLTV Top 20 history with nine appearances. His methodical AWP style and consistent tier-one presence with Astralis defined an era of Counter-Strike. He continues to perform at the highest level and remains a fixture in end-of-year rankings.
How HLTV Rankings Are Calculated
Unlike raw stats-based lists, HLTV's Top 20 is evaluated by their editorial experts and considers rating performance, team achievements, consistency, and impact on individual matches. Players on championship-winning rosters are given additional weight. This is why a good player on a weak team may not appear even with strong personal statistics.