Legacy sniper Santino “try” Rigal commented on the current hierarchy of AWP players in Counter-Strike 2. According to him, the three strongest snipers in the world right now are ZywOo, m0NESY, and sh1ro, but he gave first place on that list specifically to the Frenchman.
try placed ZywOo above everyone
In his assessment, try did not expand the list to a large number of candidates. He singled out only three AWP players: ZywOo, m0NESY, and sh1ro. That alone is already telling, because all three have remained the main reference points for any sniper at the top level for years.
But the main emphasis was not on the top three itself, but on the distance between first and second place. According to try, ZywOo is not just slightly ahead of m0NESY right now — he is noticeably stronger and has a separate status in this race.
ZywOo, m0NESY, sh1ro are the top 3 snipers in the world right now. Mathieu is the undisputed top 1, Ilya is not even close to his level.
This phrase sounds especially interesting coming from a sniper. When such an assessment is given by an AWP player, it is perceived not only as a fan opinion, but as the view of someone who understands the complexity of the role, the value of stability, and the difference between a simply strong mechanical player and a full-fledged superstar.
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Why ZywOo once again became the main argument
ZywOo has long no longer been perceived only as a classic sniper. His main strength is that he influences the game in almost any scenario: with the AWP, with a rifle, in clutches, in opening duels, and in situations where he simply needs to break the opponent’s structure with individual quality.
That is why he is often difficult to compare directly with other AWP players. If m0NESY is more often associated with an explosive sniper style, speed, aggression, and high mechanics, then ZywOo looks like a broader player. He may not always be the flashiest player in a specific round, but he almost always remains the most stable winning factor.
m0NESY remains the main competitor, but not for everyone
At the same time, m0NESY’s presence in the top 3 does not raise any questions. Ilya has long established himself among the strongest snipers in the world, and his individual level often makes him his team’s main argument in the most difficult matches.
But try’s statement highlights an important point: even if m0NESY is ZywOo’s closest competitor for many people, part of the scene still sees a large distance between them. The reason may lie not only in statistics, but also in the perception of stability. ZywOo is more often associated with an almost guaranteed level in any match, while m0NESY is perceived more as a player with an extremely high ceiling.
sh1ro remains in the elite group
It is also worth noting separately that try did not forget about sh1ro. His name in such a top three looks logical, although there is usually less loud debate around him than around ZywOo and m0NESY. Sh1ro is often seen as a colder, more pragmatic, and more systematic sniper, who does not always create as much noise around himself, but consistently remains among the most effective AWP players.
That is why try’s top three looks fairly balanced. ZywOo is the main universal dominator, m0NESY is the brightest aggressive sniper of the new generation, and sh1ro is a stable and disciplined elite-level AWP player.
This statement once again sharpens the main individual debate
The most interesting thing in try’s words is not that he called ZywOo the best. That has not looked surprising for a long time. What matters much more is that he described the difference between ZywOo and m0NESY as very large.
That is exactly what makes the statement resonant. In a season where m0NESY is regularly considered the main contender for the title of best sniper, this assessment sounds like a clear position: for try, the fight for first place is either already closed, or at least much less even than it seems from the outside.
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ZywOo once again received a strong argument in the debate with m0NESY
try’s statement became another voice in favor of ZywOo in the discussion about the best sniper in the world. He recognized m0NESY and sh1ro as part of the elite top three, but at the same time very clearly separated the Frenchman from the others.
The main conclusion here is simple: even against the backdrop of m0NESY’s incredible level, part of the professional scene still sees ZywOo as the undisputed number one. And as long as such assessments come from the players themselves, the debate between ZywOo and m0NESY will remain one of the main individual topics in modern CS2.
