The 2025 Counter-Strike season produced one of the most fundamental Player of the Year debates in recent memory. It isn’t just about numbers or trophies — it’s about philosophy. On one side stands the symbol of a dominant era, defined by consistency and winning at the highest level. On the other, a generational talent whose individual impact bent rounds, systems, and expectations.
Choosing between ZywOo and donk means choosing what Player of the Year truly represents.
Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut
2025 was the year ZywOo fully reclaimed his throne. After narrowly missing the top spot in 2024, he responded with one of the most complete seasons in Counter-Strike history. As the cornerstone of Team Vitality, ZywOo led an era-defining run that delivered nine trophies, including two Majors, a Grand Slam, and multiple S-tier titles. Wherever Vitality played, they didn’t just win — they controlled the tournament.
Individually, ZywOo remained the benchmark for elite consistency: 1.32 Rating 3.0, 86.7 ADR, 77.2% KAST, and 0.83 KPR. His greatness isn’t rooted in chaos or excess aggression, but in control. He stabilizes rounds, punishes mistakes instantly, and dominates without ever forcing the game around himself. That reliability peaked at the biggest moments. Major MVP performances once again reinforced the same conclusion the scene has reached time and time again: when trophies are on the line, ZywOo is the most dependable superstar in Counter-Strike.
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Danil “donk” Kryshkovets
If ZywOo represents control and completeness, donk represents raw, overwhelming dominance. At just 18 years old, the Team Spirit rifler delivered one of the most aggressive and destructive individual seasons the game has ever seen. Even without matching Vitality’s trophy haul, donk consistently looked like the most dangerous player on the server — regardless of opponent, stage, or pressure. His 2025 statistics border on absurd: 1.39 Rating 3.0, 95.5 ADR, 0.91 KPR, and 24.7% multi-kill rounds. For a tier-one rifler, these are numbers that simply shouldn’t exist.
But beyond the stats was the impact. Donk forced teams to abandon defaults, overload positions, and fundamentally change how they approached rounds against Spirit. He wasn’t just winning duels — he was breaking systems. In many ways, 2025 felt like the opening chapter of a new era, where a rifler could exert the kind of influence once reserved only for the greatest AWPers in history.
What players and talents say
Despite donk’s historic individual level, most voices across the scene still lean toward ZywOo — largely due to team success and trophies.
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Tedd:
ZywOo will probably win it because of what Vitality did. But for me personally, the Player of the Year is molodoy — the speed at which he became elite was shocking
Kvem (Passion UA):
ZywOo
Devilwalk:
You have to give it to ZywOo, but what donk is doing with a worse team deserves a lot of credit
s1n (M80):
It’s between donk and ZywOo. Vitality’s team success really matters
Grim (Passion UA):
ZywOo. They’ve won too much
This debate ultimately comes down to one question: what should define Player of the Year? If it’s about peak individual level, mechanical ceiling, and redefining what’s possible on the server, donk has a completely legitimate case. His 2025 season stands among the most terrifying individual performances Counter-Strike has ever seen.
If it’s about pairing elite statistics with consistency, trophies, and decisive impact in the biggest moments, ZywOo remains the gold standard. The scene will likely side with winning. But the fact that an 18-year-old rifler forced this debate at all is already a historic moment for Counter-Strike.
