It has been some time now since CS2 replaced CS:GO, leaving behind a title with a massive legacy. With over 11 years of history, the CS:GO esports scene saw some remarkable players grace the server. But out of all of them, who was the best? We’ve put together this list of the five best CS:GO players of all time, to figure out once and for all who the king of Counter-Strike is. Remember, this list is only taking into consideration CS:GO contributions – donk is pretty great, but he made his name in CS2!
No longer active, the 34-year-old Swede GeT_RiGhT was a real force in the early days of the CS:GO era and is another pioneer of the game, finishing the years 2013 and 2014 as world number 1 and winning 10 MVP medals in that period. He had a 14-year career before calling it quits in 2021 and was one of the key forces in driving the popularity of CS:GO. He was a ‘famous Counter-Strike player’ before CS:GO players really got famous!
Source: ESL
GeT_RiGhT is most well-known for his stint with Ninjas In Pyjamas (NIP), with whom he won one Major and made it to five finals. He also went on the famous 87-game winning streak during his time with NIP at the beginning of CS:GO, a record that stands to this day. While GeT_RiGhT’s form fizzled out beyond those early years of the game, it’s impossible to make a list of the best CS:GO players ever without him.
Nowadays, GeT_RiGhT remains active in the Counter-Strike scene as a streamer, where he continues to play CS2 alongside some of his former teammates. His prime might be long gone, but it’s still cool to see one of the best CS players of all time run it back every now and again in the newest game.
Although NiKo’s quality has never been in doubt, until 2023, his career had lingering questions over his lack of trophies. IEM Katowice 2023 and IEM Cologne 2023 put those concerns to bed, with NiKo picking up two of the biggest prizes the game can afford him. His longevity is one of the most underrated aspects of his game, having competed since 2015 and maintaining the same high standards to this day. Whether it’s CS:GO or CS2, it never really mattered to NiKo – he’s just one of the best CS players of all time.
Credit: Helena Kristiansson | © ESL
The genius of NiKo comes as he frequently puts up AWPer statistics using only a rifle. His mechanics are arguably second to none, and he has the ability to carry his team over the finish line in any given match. Haters will always point to his lack of a CS:GO Major, but for us, the numbers don’t lie. Not only is NiKo one of the best CS:GO players ever, but he’s also the best rifler the game has ever produced, period.
Now 28 years old and one of the best CS2 players, NiKo plies his trade for Falcons, although back in CS:GO, he was known for stints on mousesports, FaZe Clan, and G2. He’s a storied player, and with his longevity, his time as one of the best CS:GO players of all time may just be a footnote in his narrative when all is said and done.
The record of dev1ce speaks for itself. No one in CS:GO history received so many honors. He has won an astounding four Majors, been a 19-time MVP, and a two-time Major MVP. He defined the Astralis era, with the team from 2017-2019 changing the way CS:GO’s meta was played forever. No one else on this list can compare in this regard, which is why dev1ce will always hold some status as one of the best CS:GO players of all time.
Credit: IEM on Twitter
A short, unsuccessful dalliance with NIP, alongside a year-long break from the game in 2022 threatened his legacy. His return to Astralis has only cemented it further. No player has ever returned from a break so long and still looked like one of the best CS:GO players in the world. There’s no doubt that dev1ce can compete at the very top for years to come, but his CS:GO record will be hard to beat.
For his longevity, versatility, and consistency at the very top, it’s hard to compare anyone else in the CS:GO pro scene. The amount of silverware he has won in that time only adds to his legacy. During CS2, he even tried his hand at IGLing, although that didn’t exactly go to plan. Still, it was cool to see one of the best CS players of all time try their hand at something new, especially something that felt unthinkable during his CS:GO peaks.
The Chosen One – the player who shares a birthday with the original Counter-Strike (November 9th, 2000 to be exact). Ever since ZywOo had the best rookie year of all time back in 2018, the French AWPer has never looked back. Very few of the best CS:GO players look like they were born to play the game, but ZywOo is the exception, producing highlight after highlight with his godlike gamesense. If he wasn’t doing it on LAN, you’d assume he was cheating.
Credit: IEM on Twitter
His crowning achievement came at the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023, where he finally achieved the one thing that had eluded him in five years of competition. It’s immensely impressive that despite many of the big trophies eluding his during these first few years, his extraordinary individual form mean you can’t deny him his place among the best CS:GO players of all time.
At just 24 years old, ZywOo easily has another decade at the top. If we were taking CS2 into the equation into this list, ZywOo may already be at the top of this list, but since this only counts CS:GO contributions, he’ll have to settle for second.
What can we say about s1mple that hasn’t already been said? The Ukrainian AWPer was the heart of NAVI for many years, writing his story alongside one of the best CS:GO teams ever seen. For years, s1mple’s abilities defied belief, collecting the most tournament MVPs of any player in history. After years at the top, s1mple’s form took a slight dip in late 2022 to 2023. Even then, s1mple’s slump is still much better than 99% of professional CS:GO players.
Credit: Luc Bouchon | © ESL
His legacy as the best CS:GO player of all time is secure – he simply did it for longer and at higher peaks than his competition. Whether it be for FlipSid3 Tactics, Team Liquid, or NAVI, s1mple always brought the heat to the server. For a while, he was even featured as a CS:GO graffiti on Cache for his falling AWP play, one of the most legendary CS highlights ever. A true legend.
Upon the release of CS2, s1mple went inactive, and minus a few disappointing games on loan to Falcons, this is a status he has retained. While it’s disappointing that the CS:GOAT seemingly won’t be making a grand return in CS2 (at least not to his previous level), he will always have his status as the best CS:GO player of all time.
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