donk, apEX, NiKo, and FalleN Reveal Their Top-5 CS2 Players of 2025

At the end of the 2025 season, several top-tier CS2 professionals shared their personal rankings of the best players in the world. Among those who revealed their lists were Danil donk Kryshkovets, Dan apEX Madesclaire, Nikola NiKo Kovač, and Gabriel FalleN Toledo. Their picks paint a clear picture of who truly defined the competitive landscape of CS2 in 2025.

The biggest constant across almost all rankings was Mathieu ZywOo Herbaut, who appeared in nearly every top-5 list and was most often placed at number one. Close behind him is donk, who consistently ranked either first or second, confirming his status not only as the breakout star of the year but also as one of the most dominant players in the world.

In donk’s own ranking, ZywOo took the top spot, followed by donk himself, Robin ropz Kool, Dmitry sh1ro Sokolov, and Ilya m0NESY Osipov. Very similar selections were shared by TN1R and apEX, with only minor changes in order, highlighting a strong consensus among elite players regarding the core stars of the season.

NiKo’s list stood out by placing donk at number one, with ZywOo second, followed by m0NESY, sh1ro, and ropz. FalleN also emphasized the dominance of ZywOo and donk, but added Kaike KSCERATO Cerato to his top-5, making it one of the more distinctive choices among the participants.

Some rankings offered a glimpse into emerging trends. Molodoy and Snow were among those who ranked donk above ZywOo, while Mzinho and Snow included Senzu and Shahar flameZ Shushan in their lists. These selections reflect the growing impact of new regions and the increasing importance of aggressive entry fraggers in the 2025 meta.

HLTV Reveals Nominees for Individual Awards at HLTV Awards 2025

The official Best Players of 2025 award ceremony will take place on January 10, 2026, in Belgrade. There, the final rankings and individual awards will be announced by the expert jury. Stay tuned to Farmskins for full coverage, detailed breakdowns, and reactions from the professional CS2 scene.