Counter-Strike: Global Offensive had a long and fruitful time at the top of the esports world. For 11 years, it was one of the absolute pinnacles of global first-person shooters and made a name for itself in both the casual and competitive communities. Many of the world’s greatest PC gamers have played Counter-Strike, with some even creating decorated careers out of it. From legendary AWPers to master tacticians, the landscape of CS:GO is adorned with remarkable talent. Of the thousands of professional CS:GO players that came and went during its 11 years of life, some stand out as the greatest in their respective roles, eras, and even of all time. This list will pay tribute to the very best players that defined a generation of gamers.
It’s worth noting that, unless stated, this list is not in any particular order.
What To Consider
Individual skill is the foundation, with raw aiming ability being paramount. But pure aim isn’t enough. Game sense, which is built on understanding map rotations, anticipating enemy movements, and utilizing grenades effectively, is crucial for high-level play. Finally, clutch play separates good from great. The ability to perform under pressure and win critical rounds single-handedly is a hallmark of greatness.
Team achievements are another key factor. Winning a Major, the pinnacle of CS:GO competition, is the ultimate goal. Consistency in winning tournaments across various levels showcases a player’s ability to adapt and succeed within a team structure. Lastly, longevity and consistency are crucial. Reaching the absolute highest level of individual skill is impressive, but maintaining that level for an extended period is truly remarkable. Players who can adjust their skills and strategies to remain relevant throughout their careers demonstrate exceptional talent.
GeT_RiGhT – The Early GOAT
The greatest player of the team with the greatest winning streak in all of Global Offensive, Christopher “GeT_RiGhT” Alesund more than deserves his spot on any list when it comes to the best CS:GO players of all time. GeT_RiGhT’s journey began long before the release of Global Offensive with Counter-Strike 1.6, aided by his brother’s introduction to the game. He honed his skills, eventually becoming one of the best lurkers in the world. Unlike his entry teammates who spearheaded attacks, GeT_RiGhT excelled at flanking opponents and creating chaos from unexpected angles. In 2012, GeT_RiGhT joined the now-famous Ninjas in Pyjamas squad that reigned supreme during CS:GO’s early days. He became one of the first known “clutch ministers” that many other professionals would get the honor of being named such thanks to his extremely high game sense and proficiency as a lurker.
Ninjas in Pyjamas would embark on their legendary 87-0 map winning streak which no organization has come close to matching since. Alongside his four other Swedish teammates, GeT_RiGhT became a five-time Major finalist and one-time Major champion after winning the whole thing at ESL One Cologne 2014. HLTV.org, the leading Counter-Strike coverage website in the world, awarded GeT_RiGhT with the #1 spot on their year-end ranking for CS:GO in 2013 and 2014, which were the two years widely regarded as the peak of both his career and Ninjas in Pyjamas’ organization. Towards the end of 2014, NIP’s dominance waned. However, GeT_RiGhT remained a pillar of the team for several years. In September 2019, after an illustrious seven-year run with NIP, he decided to finally step down as his career was also reaching its final stages. He retired from competitive play in 2021 after 14 years as a player and now occasionally works on the desk as an analyst or commentator during events.
f0rest – GeT_RiGhT’s Partner in Crime
Ninjas in Pyjamas’ best lineup ever cannot be mentioned without giving the proper praise to one of the greatest Counter-Strike players of all time, Patrik “f0rest” Lindberg. f0rest’s journey began in Counter-Strike 1.6 with Begrip Gaming, but his talent truly shined on Fnatic. With the release of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive in 2012, f0rest adapted seamlessly. He was part of the legendary 87-0 roster of Ninjas in Pyjamas and, just like GeT_RiGhT achieved, went to five straight Major finals and won ESL One Cologne 2014. Though he was never named the #1 player of the year on HLTV’s rankings, he was still a highly-rated player during his prime with a career-high ranking of #2 in 2013 and three other top ten appearances in CS:GO.
After spending the majority of his CS:GO career with NIP, f0rest surprised fans by joining Dignitas in 2020. f0rest’s role with his new squad was to be more of a veteran presence with undeniable experience winning on the top stage of the world. He is as much of a legend as GeT_RiGhT during their time together which is one of the longest partnerships in Counter-Strike history, spanning a grand total of 3,902 straight days from 2009 to 2019.
kennyS – The Greatest AWPer of All Time
Many have come and gone, but there will never be a sniper more proficient and deadly on the server than Kenny “kennyS” Schrub in his prime. His name is synonymous with the AWP, with him even revealing that he used to preserve his economy and even forcebuy the AWP on any round he can just to use it. A player so proficient at using the AWP, the weapon was nerfed because of him. Even with the sniper rifle’s movement speed and accuracy lessened, it still didn’t stop kennyS from terrorizing his opponents with lightning fast flickshots and pure confidence plays. He was a battle AWPer in every sense of the word. When life traditionally calls for calculated, safe positioning from snipers wielding the Big Green, kennyS would take positions pushed up in the map even further than his riflers were – and win duels. He redefined what was possible with the AWP and even popularized the AWP | Asiimov being his skin of choice.
His journey began in 2012, transitioning from Counter-Strike: Source to CS:GO with VeryGames. While initial success was elusive, glimpses of his talent emerged. But the real journey would start in 2014 with Titan. Being the highest-rated player at a number of international LAN event victories would solidify his status as one of the best players in the world in the build up to his finest stint with EnVyUs in 2015. At DreamHack Open Cluj-Napoca 2015, the year’s third and final CS:GO Major, EnVyUs would go on to win the entire tournament with kennyS taking home the Major MVP awarded by HLTV. It was the finest moment of his entire career and the one result that proved any and all doubters of his ability wrong. HLTV ranked him the sixth-best player of 2014 and 2015 and seventh best in the world in 2017. Although the latter part of his career wasn’t as decorated as it began, he always remained one of the biggest threats when wielding the AWP. He officially retired from competitive play in 2023, leaving behind a legacy as the undisputed greatest AWPer in the history of CS:GO.
device – The Greatest Team’s Greatest Player
When you make a name for yourself as the very best player of the single greatest CS:GO team of all time, there are no arguments that can place you outside the GOAT conversation. Nicolai “device” Reedtz, is a legend in the realm of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. His career, spanning over a decade, is a testament to dedication, exceptional skill, and an unwavering position as one of the greatest AWP players of all time. device’s foray into competitive Counter-Strike began in Counter-Strike: Source, where he honed his AWPing skills at a young age. In 2013, alongside teammates Peter “dupreeh” Rasmussen and Andreas “Xyp9x” Højsleth, he transitioned to CS:GO, joining Copenhagen Wolves. Their journey took them through Dignitas, Team SoloMid, and eventually to Astralis, where all three of them would create a legacy that no one ever matched.
It was crystal clear from the very beginning that device was Astralis’ best player. The organization’s first true breakthrough came at the 2017 ELEAGUE Major Atlanta, where Astralis took down Virtus.pro in a 2-1 grand final series. Astralis and device would go on to win three more Major championships, the first season of the $1,000,000 Intel Grand Slam, and countless international LAN events that would completely take up an entire page if they were to be listed. In two of Astralis’ four Major victories, device was named the tournament MVP twice. He also has a total of 19 HLTV MVP awards which was once the highest total of a single player, but has since been passed by Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev after the Ukrainian’s brilliant post-pandemic performance. Still, device is still highly rated in the community and is one of the best players in the world even today. He was ranked in the top five of HLTV’s year-end rankings for six straight years starting from 2015 to 2020, placing third four times and reaching a peak of second place in 2018. Along with his Astralis teammates, device has never lost a Major grand final.
coldzera – Brazil’s Golden Child
Brazil’s era of dominance in CS:GO can be attributed to many things. The fans, the passion, the team, everything deserves their time in the spotlight. But none more than Marcelo “coldzera” David who, back in his day, was the very best player in the world for two years running. coldzera’s name echoes through the halls of CS:GO history. A two-time Major champion, two-time HLTV Player of the Year, and an embodiment of clutch plays, coldzera’s career is a testament to dedication, raw talent, and a strategic mind. His playing career started around the same time the game was released, but it wasn’t until 2016 where he would truly make his mark in history. coldzera joined Luminosity Gaming where he would pair up with the Godfather of Brazilian CS, Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo. Under the guidance of FalleN’s strategic prowess and coldzera’s raw firepower, Luminosity transformed into a force to be reckoned with.
Perhaps the single most iconic moment in coldzera’s decorated career that is known by gamers around the world is that one jumping AWP collateral at the MLG Columbus 2016 semi-final. That one play not only saved a round for Luminosity, but arguably their entire tournament as well. Luminosity defied expectations, defeating the heavily favored Liquid in the semis and Natus Vincere in the grand final to claim their first Major title for the organization and Brazil. Coldzera was crowned the Major MVP, a well-deserved recognition of his phenomenal performance. An organizational rebrand later, coldzera and company repeated at the following Major, ESL One Cologne 2016. The superstar Brazilian rifler would earn yet another HLTV MVP award for the Major, becoming the first person to ever earn the recognition twice. He was hailed as the undisputed best player in the world in both 2016 and 2017, being the catalyst for Brazil’s greatest era of Counter-Strike.
olofmeister – The Legendary Boostmeister
One of the best support riflers to have ever graced professional Counter-Strike, Olof “olofmeister” Kajbjer has a legacy that only few can match. Like many of the hardened veterans, his CS:GO career began in 2012 jumping around from team to team hoping to find a perfect fit before the new title really kicks off. He made his way to LGB in June 2013 and, after a year with some of the most prolific European players in the world at the time, finally found his breakthrough stint with fnatic. At the time olofmeister joined the European giants, they had already won a CS:GO Major. With another Swede now onboard, they won back-to-back and made 2015 their greatest year ever. Wins at that year’s ESL One Katowice and ESL One Cologne put olofmeister and his entire crew back on the map, with him specifically receiving the spotlight at the Spodek Arena after being awarded the Major MVP by HLTV for his unbeatable performance.
It’s safe to say olofmeister hit the peak of his game in 2015 as not only did he earn back-to-back Major championships, but HLTV recognized him as the very best player in the whole world during their year-end rankings. He would go on to win many more accolades during the latter part of his stay with fnatic and in the first few years of his time with the FaZe “superteam” as it was called before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. olofmeister is not yet retired, but has been an inactive member of FaZe since early 2022 with many fans still awaiting his return even for just one last tournament. Six tournament MVPs are no small feat, but perhaps his greatest contribution to the game are the two plays on Overpass that immortalized him on that specific map: the Burning Defuse and the Olofboost. Two feats so iconic, Valve altered the map to feature a graffiti at B Site commemorating his bomb defusal and a sign that depicts a person attempting to boost over the ledge which is a reference to his infamous three-man boost at DreamHack Winter 2014.
dupreeh – CS:GO’s Most Decorated Player
For a man with practically every record involving accomplishments throughout CS:GO’s 11 years of life, Peter “dupreeh” Rasmussen is sure left out of the GOAT conversation way too much. His achievements speak for itself – the most Major wins of all time, most prize money earned of all time, joint-most Major wins in a row, most Major appearances of all time, and the only individual to have played in every single CS:GO Major from 2013 to 2023. Talk about longevity. Starting in Counter-Strike: Source, dupreeh quickly made the switch to CS:GO and joined 3DMAX before getting his career truly started with Copenhagen Wolves. He secured a place in the HLTV Top 20 rankings for three consecutive years (2013-2015). Those early years were a period of growth, where dupreeh’s adaptability and aggressive playstyle started to turn heads.
In 2016 dupreeh, and all his other teammates from the former Team Solomid roster who were now organization-less, started their own journey by forming Astralis. The team, unbeknownst to all of them at the time, would go on to become the single greatest team in the history of CS:GO. Alongside four other Danish brothers, dupreeh would go on to win four Majors under the organization’s banner namely ELEAGUE Atlanta 2017, FACEIT London 2018, IEM Katowice 2019, and StarLadder Berlin 2019, the last three coming in succession. In between all their Major success, Astralis also achieved the Intel Grand Slam by winning it in the inaugural season, earning an additional $1,000,000 to their already stacked earnings. Times changed and, unfortunately, so did Astralis. Even with the team’s downfall, dupreeh was not yet ready to bid adieu to CS:GO without one last fight. He moved to Vitality in 2023 and, at the very last CS:GO Major, bagged his fifth title marking his name in history and surpassing all his Astralis teammates as the single greatest winner in CS:GO history. Even if the glory days may be memories of the past at this point in his career, Peter “dupreeh” Rasmussen’s story is far from over. He is a true legend of Counter-Strike, an inspiration to aspiring players, and a testament to the power of dedication and passion.
NiKo – Mechanically Gifted Beyond Comparison
The polar opposite of dupreeh in a sense, but still a legend and simply one of the greatest to ever pick up a mouse and keyboard. Nikola “NiKo” Kovač is widely regarded as one of the most mechanically proficient Counter-Strike players of all time, and his career is still ongoing at the highest level of competition. He has consistently been a top-five player in the world for most years and has shown zero signs of slowing down. Having been ranked the second best player in the world in 2017 and yet again in 2023 just shows his longevity and ability to keep on competing at such a high level that many players would never even dream of matching. NiKo’s journey began in 2011, competing in lesser-known teams and honing his raw talent. His first significant step into CS:GO came in 2012 with the Serbian team iNation. While success was limited, NiKo’s exceptional skills were evident. The turning point arrived in 2015 when NiKo joined Mousesports (now known as MOUZ). There, he found a platform to showcase his talents alongside a team hungry for achievement. The synergy was undeniable, and NiKo quickly established himself as a rising star. Mousesports would only be a stepping stone for his true prowess, however, as the decision to join FaZe in 2017 would be the defining moment of his entire career.
The world’s best rifler joining an incredibly stacked superteam was a recipe for unparalleled success, but the results would come modestly. NiKo’s 2017-2018 era with FaZe was met with many top-tier victories, but their biggest loss was at the 2018 ELEAGUE Major in Boston where they lost to Cloud9 in what is widely regarded as one of the greatest Major grand finals of all time. Even though the Major trophy eluded him, NiKo kept going and eventually reached G2 where he plays until this day. Despite the challenges, glimpses of brilliance continued to shine through NiKo’s gameplay. In his four years with G2, he has never placed below the top five of HLTV’s year-end ranking and is consistently challenging for Big Event victories. Though his search for a Major still continues in Counter-Strike 2, it is undeniable that NiKo was one of the pillars of professional CS:GO and truly the greatest rifler of his generation.
ZywOo – The French Prodigy
The one true challenger to man below him on this list, Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut is a true prodigy of the game and has always been considered among the best Counter-Strike players of all time since he first joined Vitality in 2018. An AWPer by heart but overall just a beast at both aiming and intelligence, ZywOo was recognized by HLTV as the best CS player in the world on three different occasions – in 2019, 2020, and 2023. He has a total of 18 tournament MVP awards and holds multiple records despite having the youngest professional career of anyone on this list. He has won the most MVP awards in a debut year with five, the joint-most #1 rankings on HLTV, and the joint-most #2 rankings on HLTV. In short, ZywOo is a young legend whose story is far, far away from being finished.
His impact on Vitality was immediate. He thrived in a supportive environment, racking up MVP titles in five tournaments within his first year. His exceptional aim, strategic positioning, and clutch plays became hallmarks of his gameplay. Notably, in 2018, he became the only Vitality player with a positive kill-death ratio despite being the least experienced member of the lineup. 2019 was the year ZywOo truly cemented his place in CS:GO history. At just 19 years old, he achieved the seemingly impossible – becoming the youngest-ever HLTV Player of the Year. ZywOo’s reign continued in 2020. He successfully defended his HLTV Player of the Year title, a feat only previously achieved by the legend coldzera. Finally, in 2023, ZywOo and Vitality reached the pinnacle once again. They triumphed at the BLAST.tv Paris Major with ZywOo taking home the MVP medal in front of his home crowd – a fitting farewell to the game that gave him his start. It was the only thing he hadn’t won that his closest comparison, s1mple, once had over him. Now, they stand tall as equals.
s1mple – The Greatest of All Time.
Of course, when talking about CS:GO it is hard to miss the single best CSGO player of all time. One in his name, number one in the game – Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev will forever be regarded as the greatest Counter-Strike: Global Offensive player of all time. Simply put, there’s nothing in the game that he has not achieved. He has 21 MVP awards which is the most of any player ever, a Major championship from 2021’s PGL Stockholm, an Intel Grand Slam victory, and three nods as the best player in the world in 2018, 2021, and 2022. 2018 was the year s1mple truly solidified his legend. He was crowned the HLTV Player of the Year, the first of his eventual three titles. This wasn’t just a one-off; he racked up an unprecedented five MVP awards that year. His dominance with the AWP was unmatched, his spray control with rifles legendary.
The year 2021 was a turning point for NAVI and s1mple. The team, finally clicking on all cylinders, achieved what had long evaded them – a Major victory at PGL Major Stockholm. It was the first for the organization and s1mple, whose contribution earned him the coveted HLTV Major MVP award. This long-awaited triumph cemented his place among the CS:GO elite and silenced doubters who questioned his ability to win the biggest prize. It also happened at the most-watched (and arguably most important) CS:GO Major of all time since it was the first one to take place post-pandemic. He may currently be inactive in the early stages of Counter-Strike 2’s life, but one thing that cannot be disputed is his status as the greatest CS:GO player to ever live.