CS2 players to watch at the Esports World Cup

The Counter-Strike Esports World Cup in Riyadh is only a few days ahead, promising exciting storylines with the recent roster changes during the player break.

The ongoing race between the best players so far will surely make the tournament a feast for the eyes, but also the new signings as anticipation builds around their first appearance under new banners. For that, we decided to look at the best players to watch in the tournament.

The big three

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It’s clear that the trio of Danil "donk" Kryshkovets, Ilya "m0NESY" Osipov and Mathieu "ZywOo" Herbaut have been a cut above the rest this year. Alongside their teammates, Team Spirit and G2 Esports secured a single trophy, while Vitality failed at the last hurdle twice.

The french delight

Opposite to the Russian stars, the French AWPer remains trophyless in 2024, and it’s not because of his performances (obviously). For the longest, Vitality relied on ZywOo to come up victorious considering he’s the star player. However, that created a choking problem for the team as they became too reliant on him. Consequently, whenever ZywOo has a bad map, Vitality usually ends up on the losing side as seen during ESL Pro League Season 19 and IEM Dallas.

Regardless, the 2023 best player in the world was instrumental before the player break, netting the second highest damage, kills, and impact per round during the last six-months against the top 20 teams. Moreover, the highlight machine gifted us countless plays, clutches and sharp shooting which makes him a player worth keeping an eye on.

The baby goat

mONESY is known as the baby goat when he was shadowed by Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyljev due to his age. However, since joining G2, the yellow flash stepped up into the big leagues and became one of the most promising talents in Counter-Strike.

Despite reaching gold only once at IEM Dallas this year, m0NESY emerged as the MVP of the event with a performance worthy of the next rising star, shaped by the legacy of the greatest player ever. Furthermore, the Russian AWPer bested his rivals in different stat categories including K/D difference, clutches won and success in opening duels.

These aren’t mere numbers on paper, but an indication of just how impressive m0NESY is despite not being in the best team environment. All that in addition to playing under a new in-game leader brings excitement on which face will m0NESY bring to Riyadh.

The rising titan

We had to save the best for last with how sensational donk was this year. The 17-year-old came crushing and blessed the Counter-Strike esports with a vintage NiKo-esque rifling.

The Russian headhunter went into the player break as the champion and MVP of BLAST Premier Spring Final, making his return to the server eagerly awaited. Clearly, with such monstrous performances, donk is sitting comfortably on the stats throne and flirting with the title of the best player this year.

Donk played a crucial role in his team's success with his entry kills, boasting the highest opening kills per round at 0.17, giving his team an early advantage. What truly sets donk apart is his ability to turn the tide in the most challenging situations. For example, in the BetBoom Dacha Belgrade grand final against MOUZ, Spirit was down two players on the A bombsite. Donk swiftly equalized the situation with two precise taps in the B bombsite, securing the round and fueling a close comeback.

These qualities make the young gunner a pleasure to watch, as anything can happen as long as he’s alive and kicking inside the server.

malbsMd raises the bar

G2 made substantial roster moves that are questionable, to say the least. Although the changes were expected after their slip-up at the BLAST Premier Spring Final, assigning Janusz "Snax" Pogorzelski as the in-game leader raised many unanswered questions.

Regardless, Mario "malbsMd" Samayoa is having a lifetime opportunity to play in one of the most prestigious organizations in the scene alongside the best players in the world. Before, the Guatemalan rifler showed his prowess in the North American scene with M80, having won ESL Challenger League Season 47: North America recently.

Additionally, malbsMd had a few standout performances during ESL Pro League Season 19 notably against G2 and BetBoom which might’ve earned him the spot in his current team.

During the last six months, Mario averaged a 92 ADR, 0.84 KPR and 74.8% KAST. But since these stats are mostly racked up against NA teams, it will be intriguing to see how he’ll perform on the international stage against the powerhouses of CS2.

The youngest Major winner returns

It’s been well over two years since the youngest Major winner and MVP, Markus "Kjaerbye" Kjærbye, played his last official match with Endpoint. Known for making what many consider the worst decision of his career, Kjaerbye's competitive spirit seems undiminished.

In June, he was picked up by the Chinese organization JiJieHao where he plays with the likes of Issa "ISSAA" Murad and Denislav "dennyslaw" Dimitrov. Since then, the team has made impressive strides, dominating the MENA qualifier to secure a spot in the Esports World Cup. With a strong showing from the Danish veteran, their performance has been noteworthy.

However, whether Kjaerbye can maintain his form and excel on the global stage remains unknown. So, be sure to keep an eye on the Esports World Cup starting on the 17th to witness the action unfold in Saudi Arabia.

Featured Image is exclusive to Strafe

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