Top 10 Counter-Strike Players of the Year
Counter-Strike has always sparked debates about who the best players are. Here are my subjective rankings for the top 10 players of this year.
Methodology
To create these rankings, I analyzed gameplay at 9 highly competitive events this year. I considered individual skill, team positioning, competition strength, and performance in pressure situations. If players were too close to call, I looked at team accomplishments to break the tie.
Lans Used for Rankings
- MLG Major Championship: Columbus
- Intel Extreme Masters/Season VII/Katowice
- StarLadder i-League StarSeries XIV Finals
- DreamHack Masters Malmö 2016
- ESL Pro League Season 3: Finals
- DreamHack Leipzig 2016
- GAMEKIT Counter Pit League Season 2 – Finals
- Global eSports Cup S1
- CEVO Gfinity Professional Season 9 Finals
- The Barcelona CS:GO Invitational presented by MWC
Honorable Mentions
- Snax: He hasn’t had enough strong events to make the list.
- F0rest: NiP’s lack of attendance kept him off the list, but he has potential.
- Dupreeh: He struggled during key moments, impacting his ranking.
- Kjaerbye: Missed important events and lost his chance to make the top 10.
10. Denis ‘seized’ Kostin
Seized earns his spot because of his MVP performance at Dreamhack Malmo. He needs to step up in Guardian’s absence to move up.
9. Robin ‘flusha’ Rönnquist
Flusha proved himself as the best player on Fnatic, leading them to a top 4 finish at ESL ESEA Pro League finals.
8. Kenny ‘kennyS’ Schrub
KennyS had a great individual year but struggled at prestigious events. He needs to perform well at upcoming events to climb higher.
7. Gabriel ‘FalleN’ Toledo
FalleN’s leadership skills are valuable, and he consistently delivers when his team needs him the most.
6. Nicolai ‘device’ Reedtz
Device is a great player but struggled in high-pressure situations. He needs to build on his performance at ESL Pro League finals to move up.
5. Ladislav ‘GuardiaN’ Kovács
GuardiaN had a rough year due to injury, but when he’s on form, he plays exceptionally well.
4. Egor ‘flamie’ Vasilyev
Flamie consistently performs at a high level and plays a critical role in Natus Vincere’s success.
3. Nikola ‘NiKo’ Kovač
NiKo is one of the best players currently and can do it all. His ranking is impacted by his team’s performance.
2. Olof ‘olofmeister’ Kajbjer
Olofmeister’s injury hindered his performance, but he still managed to secure MVP titles at important events.
1. Marcelo ‘coldzera’ David
Coldzera is the king of Counter-Strike, consistently delivering superstar performances and driving Luminosity Gaming’s success.