The world of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS) has played host to incredible talent over the years. Since its debut, the best CS:GO players in history have stood out, not only for their individual skills, but also for their strategic contributions and lasting impact on the competitive scene.
To help you learn a little more about this universe, we’ve created a list of the 10 best CS players, bringing together their stories, key achievements, records and titles, and telling you about the careers of the icons who shaped the game and continue to inspire new generations of players.
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Top 10 CS:GO players in history: titles, records and greatest achievements
1. S1mple (Oleksandr Kostyliev)
- Team: Natus Vincere (Na’Vi)
- Country: Ukraine
- Titles: PGL Stockholm Major Champion 2021
Known for his extraordinary skill and consistency at the highest level.
Considered one of the best players of all time, S1mple revolutionized the role of the AWPer and rifle with his precision.
His results have definitely made him one of the best CS:GO players in history, proof of which is his constant presence on lists such as HLTV’s Top 20 Players, The Game Awards’ Best Esports Player (2021) and ESL’s CS:GO Player of the Decade (2013-2022).
Read also: All about Counter-Strike: weapons, maps, positions and rules
2. Nicolai “device” Reedtz
- Team: Astralis
- Country: Denmark
- Titles: 4x Major Champion (2017, 2018 x2, 2019)
Famous for his versatility and skill with the AWP, he is a key part of Astralis’ dominance, known for his game intelligence.
In his first spell with the team, he became the first to win four CS:GO Majors, three of them consecutively
He is one of the best CS:GO players in history, due to his titles and the longevity of his successful career, which has continued to grow for over 10 years.
3. Coldzera (Marcelo David)
- Team: Red Canids
- Country: Brazil
- Titles: 2x Major Champion (2016)
The most successful Brazilian in the game, he is one of the best CS:GO players in history, having been voted the best CS:GO player for two consecutive years, in 2016 and 2017 , by the HLTV portal.
In 2016, he was also chosen as the best esports player at The Game Awards.
In his matches, he stands out for his clutch moves and rifle skills.
Undoubtedly one of the central figures in Brazil’s success in CS
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4. GeT_RiGhT (Christopher Alesund)
- Team: Team Dignitas
- Country: Sweden
- Titles: 1x Major Champion (2014)
In 2009, he was chosen by the eSports Award in the categories of Best Counter-Strike Player and Player of the Year.
In 2013 and 2014, he was once again voted best CS:GO player, both times by HLTV.org.
A pioneer in lurk moves and game intelligence, he is one of the most respected players with a lasting legacy in the community, remaining one of the best CS:GO players in history for several years.
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5. Olofmeister (Olof Kajbjer)
- Team: Fnatic, FaZe Clan
- Country: Sweden
- Titles: 2x Major Champion (2015)
Known for his versatility and clutch skills, he was a key part of Fnatic’s dominance in 2015.
In addition, Gustafsson is widely regarded as one of the best CS:GO players in history, having won two CSGO Majors, ESL One Katowice 2015 and ESL One Cologne 2015, as well as many other tournaments.
Some of his individual awards help prove his strength as a gamer and in the CS:GO legacy, including:
- 2× CS:GO Major champion (Katowice 2015, Cologne 2015)
- HLTV Major MVP (Katowice 2015)
- HLTV Player of the Year (2015)
- 3× HLTV Top 20 Player of the Year (2014, 2016-2017)
- 5× HLTV MVP
6. KennyS (Kenny Schrub)
- Team: G2 Esports, Team EnVyUs
- Country: France
- Titles: 1x Major Champion (2015)
He revolutionized the use of AWP with his aggressive style, which is why he is considered one of the best AWPers in the history of the game.
He was chosen as the “eSports Player of the Year” at The Game Awards in 2015.
Schrub has been retired since 2023, but he’s still one of the best CS:GO players in history.
7. F0rest (Patrik Lindberg)
- Team: Ninjas in Pyjamas, Dignitas
- Country: Sweden
- Titles: 1x Major Champion (2014)
Known for his longevity and consistency over the years, he has become a legendary figure in both CS 1.6 and CS:GO, with his appearances in multiple high-level tournaments for over a decade.
8. Shox (Richard Papillon)
- Team: Team Vitality, G2 Esports
- Country: France
- Titles: 1x Major Champion (2014)
Noted for his versatility and clutch ability, he has been an integral part of several successful teams over the years.
He made the top 20 list from 2013 to 2016 and won more than a dozen international tournaments, as well as a major championship: DreamHack Winter 2014.
9. NiKo (Nikola Kovač)
- Team: G2 Esports
- Country: Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Titles: Multiple international tournaments
Known for his impressive individual skills and rifling, he has become one of the best riflers in the world, excelling in several elite teams.
NiKo is often cited by many professionals and analysts as one of the best CS:GO players in history and the best rifler in Global Offensive history.
He has been in HLTV’s top 20 players of the year 8 times in a row, making him the second player to appear in the TOP 20 the most times in the game’s history.
Read also: Esports World Cup 2024 invites Brazilian teams to CS2 qualifiers
10. ZywOo (Mathieu Herbaut)
- Team: Team Vitality
- Country: France
- Titles: Several MVPs and international titles
Considered a prodigy, having gained recognition quickly, he is one of the youngest players to stand out at world level.
At just 24, he is already considered one of the best CS:GO players in history, having been ranked as the number 1 player in the world by HLTV three times: 2019, 2020 and 2023.
He is the youngest HLTV Player of the Year at 19, and only the second player, after Coldzera, to be named HLTV Player of the Year in his first year as a professional player.
A curiosity is that one of his nicknames is “The Chosen One” because he was born on the day of the commercial launch of the original Counter-Strike game.
List of the 10 best cs:go players in history
- s1mple
- device
- coldzera
- GeT_RiGhT
- olofmeister
- kennyS
- f0rest
- shox
- NiKo
- ZywOo
These players not only won titles, but also influenced the game in ways that continue to resonate on the competitive scene, and for this reason, they are among the best CS:GO players in history.
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