With the mud now actually settled on CS:GO after the discharge of Counter-Strike 2, we needed to take one remaining look again on the earlier recreation. With over 11 years of historical past, the CS:GO esports scene has seen some outstanding gamers grace the server. However out of all of them, who’s the very best? We’ve put collectively this listing of the 5 finest CS:GO gamers of all time, to determine as soon as and for all who the king of Counter-Strike is.
Prime 5 Finest CS:GO Gamers of All Time
5. Christopher ‘GeT_RiGhT’ Alesund
Not lively, the 32-year-old Swede GeT_RiGhT was an actual drive within the early days of the CS:GO period and is one other pioneer of the sport, ending the years 2013 and 2014 as world #1 and profitable 10 MVP medals in that interval. He had a 14-year profession earlier than calling it quits in 2021 and was one of many key forces in driving the recognition of CS:GO.
Supply: ESL
GeT_Right is most well-known for his stint with Ninjas In Pyjamas (NIP), with whom he received one Main and made it to 5 finals. He additionally went on the well-known 87-game profitable streak throughout his time with NIP at first of CS:GO, a document that stands to at the present time. Whereas GeT_RiGhT’s kind fizzled out past these early years of the sport, it’s unattainable to make a listing of the very best CS:GO gamers ever with out him.
4. Nikola “NiKo” Kovač
Because the helm of one of many strongest rosters of the present period, G2’s Bosnian entry fragger NiKo is all the time beneath shut scrutiny. Though NiKo’s high quality has by no means been unsure, till 2023, his profession had lingering questions over his lack of trophies. IEM Katowice 2023 and IEM Cologne 2023 put these considerations to mattress, with NiKo choosing up two of the most important prizes the sport can afford him.
Credit score: Helena Kristiansson | © ESL
The genius of NiKo comes as he often places up AWPer statistics utilizing solely a rifle. His mechanics are arguably second to none, and he has the flexibility to hold his group over the end line in any given match. Haters will all the time level to his lack of a CS:GO Main, however for us, the numbers don’t lie. Not solely is NiKo among the best CS:GO gamers ever, however he’s additionally the very best rifler the sport has ever produced, interval.
3. Nicolai ‘dev1ce’ Reedtz
The document of dev1ce speaks for itself. Nobody in CS:GO historical past acquired so many honors. He has received an astounding 4 Majors, been a 19-time MVP, and a two-time Main MVP. He outlined the Astralis period, with the group from 2017-2019 altering the way in which CS:GO’s meta was performed perpetually. Nobody else on this listing can examine on this regard.
Credit score: IEM on Twitter
A brief, unsuccessful dalliance with NIP, alongside a year-long break from the sport in 2022 threatened his legacy. His return to Astralis has solely cemented it additional. No participant has ever returned from a break so lengthy and nonetheless appeared like among the best CS:GO gamers on the planet. There’s little doubt that dev1ce can compete on the very high for years to return, however his CS:GO document can be laborious to beat.
For his longevity, versatility, and consistency on the very high, it’s laborious to check anybody else within the CS:GO professional scene. The quantity of silverware he has received in that point solely provides to his legacy.
2. Mathieu ‘ZywOo’ Herbaut
The Chosen One – the participant who shares a birthday with the unique Counter-Strike (November ninth, 2000 to be precise). Ever since ZywOo had the very best rookie yr of all time again in 2018, the French AWPer has by no means appeared again. Only a few of the very best CS:GO gamers seem like they have been born to play the sport, however ZywOo is the exception.
Credit score: IEM on Twitter
His crowning achievement got here on the BLAST.television Paris Main 2023, the place he lastly achieved the one factor that had eluded him in 5 years of competitors. At simply 23 years outdated, ZywOo simply has one other decade on the high. The one factor stopping him from being on the very high of this listing is expertise. After we’re a number of years into Counter-Strike 2, we now have little doubt that ZywOo can be thought-about the very best participant ever to play the sport.
1. Oleksandr ‘s1mple’ Kostyliev
What can we are saying about s1mple that hasn’t already been stated? The Ukrainian AWPer has been the center of NAVI for years now, writing his story alongside among the best CS:GO groups ever seen. For years, s1mple’s skills defied perception, accumulating essentially the most event MVPs of any participant in historical past.
After years on the high, s1mple’s kind took a slight dip in late 2022 to 2023. Even then, s1mple’s stoop remains to be significantly better than 99% {of professional} CS:GO gamers.
Credit score: Luc Bouchon | © ESL
Heading into CS2, s1mple has not too long ago taken a break from competitors. It stays to be seen if and when he’ll return to go away his mark on the brand new recreation. When it does, the neighborhood can be ready to see the subsequent chapter of the undisputed biggest CS:GO participant of all time.
