The best Counter-Strike players in 2025 will have the opportunity to capitalize on an entirely new landscape. Following post-Major roster changes and new rules implemented by Valve, the competitive CS2 scene will feel drastically different compared to years past.
Many of the same players who dominated the 2024 season will almost certainly do so again in 2025. You should be watching established greats like donk, m0NESY, ZywOo, and others this year. But rather than highlight the best players of 2024 who will repeat success this year, we’re going to look at players ready to break into the top echelon.
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Best CS2 Players to Watch in 2025
Mario “malbsMd” Samayoa
With long-time rifler Nikola “NiKo” Kovač set to depart for Falcons, G2 is looking to Argentinian rising star malbsMd to step up another level. malbsMd was brought in from the North American roster M80 this past summer and made an immediate impact on G2. He showcased his star capabilities at some of the biggest events of the year, including the recent Shanghai Major. NiKo has big shoes to fill, but with G2 also reportedly holding on to superstar AWPer Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov, malbsMd is in a great position to take a huge leap forward.
Roland “ultimate” Tomkowiak
There’s no shortage of incredible AWPers in CS2, and Team Liquid’s ultimate looks primed and ready to reach that top tier. Liquid grabbed ultimate from the Polish roster of Illuminar Gaming this past year, and outside of IEM Rio and the final BLAST events, he’s been splendid. At his first ever Major, he was a bright spot during Liquid’s playoff run, providing incredible value as both an AWPer and a secondary entry player.
Dorian “xertioN” Berman
The current MOUZ lineup is stacked with young talent, but xertioN gets the nod here. The Israeli 20-year-old player is a prolific main entry player, with an ability to properly utilize utility in a way that’s invaluable to MOUZ. MOUZ made several deep playoff runs this year, and won ESL Pro League Season 19, thanks to spectacular play from xertioN. Since his return from a VAC ban, Jimi “Jimpphat” Salo has also been spectacular for MOUZ.
Who else is worth watching during the CS2 2025 season? Let us know in the Insider Gaming forum.
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