Ask ten Counter-Strike fans who the greatest player of all time is and you will get at least two answers, delivered with total confidence. For years the choice was between s1mple and whoever was chasing him. Since 2025, the record books point somewhere else.
The Record Books
ZywOo has been named HLTV's Player of the Year four times, in 2019, 2020, 2023, and 2025. s1mple has three, in 2018, 2021, and 2022. Between 2018 and 2022, the top spot went to s1mple three times and ZywOo twice, which is part of why the argument never dies.
On MVP awards, the gap is wider. ZywOo overtook s1mple's HLTV record for most MVPs in March 2025 with his 22nd, at ESL Pro League Season 21, and later passed his LAN MVP record too. Wikipedia lists ZywOo at 33 HLTV MVPs and s1mple at 21.
Majors favor ZywOo as well. He has won three, Paris 2023, Austin 2025, and Budapest 2025, and was named Major MVP at all three. s1mple has one, Stockholm 2021, where he also took MVP. On HLTV's Top 20 list, s1mple appeared eight times, from 2016 to 2023, and ZywOo seven times, from 2019 to 2025. NiKo holds the record with ten.
The 2025 Season
The latest chapter is the one that tipped the record. According to Dot Esports, ZywOo led Vitality to nine big trophies in 2025, including two Majors, and the team also completed the ESL Grand Slam. He collected eight MVP awards that year, among them two Majors and IEM Katowice. HLTV named him the best player of the year, with donk finishing second.
HLTV also noted that donk's 2025 produced one of the strongest statistical seasons ever recorded in its ranking, and Wikipedia describes it as the highest raw statistical output in Top 20 history. ZywOo won the top spot anyway, with HLTV citing his greater number of MVP awards, deeper tournament runs, and stronger playoff performances.
The Case for s1mple
Supporters of s1mple point to peak dominance. According to Wikipedia, his 2018 produced the highest individual rating of any previous Top 20 player. He won the top spot in 2018, 2021, and 2022, and in 2021 and 2022 ZywOo finished second both times. He also won the 2021 Major with NAVI, and the IEM Grand Slam Season 3 with the same team.
Many fans also argue that raw rating, not trophy counts, should decide the question. That is an opinion, not a fact, but it explains why the debate refuses to end.
The Case for ZywOo
Supporters of ZywOo point to longevity and volume. Seven straight Top 20 finishes, four number one spots across different eras of the game, three Majors, and two ESL Grand Slams make for a long list. He also won his first Player of the Year at 19, the second youngest in the award's history.
What the Numbers Leave Out
Every one of these stats comes with fine print. HLTV's ranking has always valued MVP and EVP awards heavily, as Dot Esports noted, so a ranking built on awards will naturally favor whoever collects the most. MVP counts also depend on how many events a player gets to compete in, and the calendar has changed. s1mple's best years were in CS:GO, and ZywOo's recent ones are in CS2, with different maps, a different engine, and different teammates. Critics of both sides argue about roster strength too, which is hard to measure.
None of that means the numbers are wrong. It means they answer a narrower question than the one fans are asking.
What Could Change It
There are two things to watch. HLTV will publish its Top 20 of 2026 around the turn of the year, with Vitality again in the mix. And the PGL Major in Singapore could add a data point, since s1mple's BC.Game roster received an exception from Valve to compete in Asia's Major list. Whether that leads to a meeting with Vitality depends on the draw.
No Final Answer
The honest conclusion is that the debate depends on what you value. If you count titles, MVPs, and years at the top, ZywOo leads. If you weigh peak dominance in a different era, s1mple's case is still strong. The good news is that both are still playing, and the argument gets another chapter every year.
Test Your Knowledge of the Greats
Knowing the stats behind the debate makes every match more interesting. The mini games on CS Guess test that kind of knowledge, covering prices, rarity, and the history behind this game, with free perks for playing well.
Head over to CS Guess and see how much of this game's history you know.
