ZywOo wins fourth best player title and Vitality dominates seven categories at HLTV Awards 2025

ZywOo, from the team Vitality, his team, dominated the ceremony by winning seven categories, including best team of the year.

The awards, organized by the HLTV portal, highlighted the consistent performance of Vitality throughout 2025. The French team won nine titles in high-level tournaments and reached playoffs in all the events they played. Esse domain reinforced the organization’s position as a reference in the global CS2 scenario.

The event brought together Counter-Strike players, coaches and personalities in an in-person ceremony. Diversas categories were announced, highlighting individual and collective performances that marked the competitive season.

Collective dominance of Vitality

Vitality received the award for best team of the year after a season of impressive results. The French organization surpassed competitors such as Team Spirit and MOUZ, who were in the next positions in the annual ranking. Essa achievement reflected the team’s regularity in tier 1 competitions.

Other categories won by Vitality included best IGL for apEX and best coach for XTQZZZ. Esses awards recognized the tactical leadership and preparation work of the coaching staff throughout the year. The team maintained a high level of performance across different maps and game situations.

• Best IGL: apEX (Vitality)
• Best coach: XTQZZZ (Vitality)
• Best anchor: mezii (Vitality)
• Best closer: ropz (Vitality)

These individual results directly contributed to the collective success of Vitality in 2025.

ZywOo’s historical trajectory

ZywOo won the player of the year award for the fourth time, surpassing previous marks in Counter-Strike. The Frenchman also won the best AWPer of the year category, demonstrating consistency with the sniper rifle. Sua performance in major tournaments and regular events was decisive for the vote.

The player maintained high ratings throughout the season, particularly in knockout matches. ZywOo actively participated in the nine titles won by Vitality, including victories in major competitions. Essa regularity put him ahead of competitors like m0NESY and donk in the main dispute.

Featured Individual Categories

Donk, from Team Spirit, was named the best opener of the year. The Russian stood out in aggressive tackles and early duels, contributing to his team’s good performance in several competitions. Sua pick reflected the impact in decisive rounds throughout 2025.

Molodoy, from FURIA, received the Newcomer of the Year award. The young Brazilian player showed rapid evolution in international tournaments and helped his team achieve impressive results. Essa achievement marked the presence of new talents on the global stage.

Other categories recognized specific roles in the game. The award valued different tactical roles that make up professional CS2 teams.

Brazilian presence at the awards

Brazilian players appeared in prominent positions in some categories. FalleN came in second place in the competition for best IGL, behind only apEX. The veteran demonstrated leadership skills at FURIA during the season.

KSCERATO also reached runner-up in the best closer category. The player contributed with important eliminations in late rounds and maintained solid statistics. Além Furthermore, cogu was inducted into HLTV’s Hall from Fama for his career in Counter-Strike 1.6.

These mentions reinforced the relevance of Brasil in the international competitive scenario.

Women’s and community categories

The female scene had representatives awarded at the ceremony. ASTRA, from BIG Equipa, was named best player of the year. Sua team also won the award for best female team, consolidating its dominance in the category.

BIG Equipa outperformed competitors like MIBR fe in a competitive season. The growth of the women’s scene gained visibility with these achievements. The players maintained a high level in dedicated tournaments throughout 2025.

On the community side, ohnePixel received the award for best streamer. The content creator stood out for regular broadcasts and interaction with the audience. Esses recognitions valued figures that expand the reach of the Counter-Strike.

Event of the year and other awards

StarLadder Budapest Major was named event of the year. The tournament brought together the world’s top teams and offered high-level clashes. The organization and quality of the matches contributed to the choice.

Other categories complemented the awards. Criadores of content and custom skins have also received recognition from the community. Esses awards expanded the scope of the ceremony beyond professional competitions.

HLTV Awards 2025 consolidated names that marked the year in Counter-Strike. The ceremony highlighted both individual and collective achievements in different segments of the game.

Complete list of top winners

The awards distributed trophies in several technical and general categories. The results reflected votes from experts and the community.

• Best player: ZywOo (Vitality)
• Best team: Vitality
• Best AWPer: ZywOo (Vitality)
• Best opener: donk (Team Spirit)
• Newcomer of the year: molodoy (FURIA)
• Best player: ASTRA (BIG Equipa)
• Best women’s team: BIG Equipa

These picks summarize the main highlights of the 2025 competitive season.

Legacy of the 2025 season

The Vitality ended the year as a reference in the Counter-Strike 2. The French team combined individual talent with collective work to achieve significant results. Nove titles won demonstrated the strength of the squad in different competitions.

ZywOo has cemented his position as one of the greatest players in the history of the game. The fourth consecutive award for best in the world set a record that would be difficult to beat. Sua influence in decisive matches was fundamental to Vitality’s successes.

The competitive landscape continued to evolve with the entry of new talent. Jogadores like molodoy and donk showed potential to compete for prominent positions in the coming years. The award recognized this renewal alongside the established names.

HLTV Awards continued its tradition of celebrating major annual achievements. The 2025 ceremony highlighted a season marked by French dominance and memorable performances.