Mareks YEKINDAR Gaļinskis finished 2025 in 15th place in the HLTV ranking of the world’s best players. For the Latvian rifler, this is his third career appearance in the Top 20 and the first after a two-year break. The key factor was his role in FURIA’s comeback story: with him, the Brazilian lineup won three major tournaments, rose to first place in the world rankings, and turned from a contender into a full-fledged leader of the scene.
YEKINDAR’s career
At the beginning of 2025, YEKINDAR’s career was in a suspended state. After failed Liquid experiments with changing the core and roles, he ended up benched without offers from top-tier teams. The Latvian took a break, worked on the mental side of the game, and openly said that he needed a new start where he could again focus on his main strength — aggressive rifle play.
The chance came with a temporary contract at FURIA, which was looking for an experienced player to stand alongside young AWPer molodoy. Initially, it looked like a short-term solution for a few tournaments before the Major, but the first results quickly convinced both the organization and YEKINDAR himself that this was a long-term project. The team rapidly reached stable playoffs, and the Latvian once again showed that he could open rounds, pressure opponents, and decide key maps. In the summer the move became permanent, and FURIA gradually turned into one of the main favorites of the season.
read more
Why YEKINDAR placed 15th
YEKINDAR’s position in the ranking was formed through a combination of peak performances at big tournaments and his impact on FURIA’s championship runs. He earned four EVP awards during the season — including at FISSURE Playground 2, ESL Pro League Season 22, IEM Chengdu, and BLAST Rivals Season 2. In each of these cases, his aggressive entries, multi-frag rounds, and clutches allowed the Brazilians to close out opponents in the later stages.
He added especially in big matches. His rating in playoffs and in arena stages was noticeably higher than in groups, and in the finals of three title tournaments he became FURIA’s top performer. His statistics against top-5 teams also set him apart from competitors in the lower half of the list: YEKINDAR showed a level that allowed FURIA not only to reach decisive matches, but to actually contend for trophies. Volatility on some maps and several poor tournaments lowered his final position somewhat, but his combined impact on winning events left little room for argument regarding his place in the Top 20.
Key tournaments of YEKINDAR’s season
- FISSURE Playground 2
Here YEKINDAR finally won the first major trophy of his career. FURIA eliminated the teams that had previously stopped them on the way to titles, and the Latvian delivered one of the best series of his life. The decisive final against The MongolZ became his personal showcase: a high rating across the series, multiple comebacks on Nuke and Dust2, as well as key rounds in overtime. The EVP award was a logical result of the tournament where he transformed from “a player without big trophies” into a full-fledged champion. - ESL Pro League Season 22
The next step came at Pro League in Stockholm. FURIA did not start perfectly, but reached the main stage in strong form. YEKINDAR consistently opened rounds, especially in matches against Aurora and top-10 teams, where his rating climbed to 1.30+. Amid tough competition from Vitality, G2, and other giants, he was often the factor pulling FURIA out of difficult situations in both groups and playoffs. Although the Brazilians stopped in the quarterfinals, HLTV recognized him with another EVP award. - IEM Chengdu 2025
In China, FURIA went through one of the toughest roads to a trophy of the entire season: their path included G2, MOUZ, The MongolZ, Falcons, and Vitality. In almost every series YEKINDAR showed high damage output, took initiative in critical moments, and was confident on stage. In the final against Vitality he again became one of the main driving forces of the team, and his stats on Ancient and other maps confirmed that he is a player unafraid of the biggest matches of the year. A second major trophy and another EVP firmly cemented his ranking position. - BLAST Rivals Season 2
FURIA ended the season with another loud success in Singapore. The team beat Vitality for the second time in a short span and once again defeated Falcons in the final. YEKINDAR had a strong tournament, but it was in the decisive maps where he made the difference: a powerful half on Nuke, where he virtually closed the game single-handedly, and steady productivity in long series on Mirage. The fourth EVP award finally confirmed that his contribution to FURIA’s title runs was systemic rather than episodic.
YEKINDAR’s role in FURIA throughout the year
In FURIA, YEKINDAR plays the role of an aggressive rifler who creates space for star teammates and sets the tempo of the attack. He is often the first to enter dangerous zones, creates discomfort for opponents, and forces defenders into mistakes. On defense, he is responsible for active positions on key parts of the map, where his individual skill allows him both to open rounds and to save them in clutches.
It is also important that YEKINDAR has become one of the leaders within the roster. Alongside FalleN, he influences mid-round decision-making, helps young players adapt to big-stage pressure, and sets high preparation standards. He has repeatedly emphasized that a comfortable team environment and clear role distribution restored the confidence he partially lost during his time with Liquid.
Season statistics and player form
YEKINDAR’s season with FURIA was not perfectly even: peaks around 1.30+ were accompanied by tournaments such as IEM Dallas or individual Major maps where his rating dropped significantly. However, on average he maintained numbers above 1.0 at large LAN events, and against top-5 teams he showed even better statistics. The difference between group stages and elimination matches is especially clear: in playoffs and on arena stages he consistently added impact and frequently became one of the best players in the server.
It is also telling that over a third of his maps ended with a rating of 1.30 or higher, indicating high peak potential. The reverse side was a number of maps with below-average output, which is why he did not reach the Top 10. Nevertheless, in the context of FURIA’s overall season his statistics clearly show that without those peaks the team likely would not have won so many tournaments nor climbed to the top of the world ranking.
Career context
For YEKINDAR this is already his third appearance in the HLTV Top 20. In 2021 he debuted straight at 8th place with Virtus.pro, and in 2022 he finished 15th, already playing for Liquid. The next two years were a test: role changes, transition to an English-speaking roster, a failed in-game leading experiment, and loss of stability led to declining results and ultimately to the bench.
His return to the list of the best in 2025 marks the completion of a “rehabilitation arc.” The Latvian not only returned to the individual level he showed during his Virtus.pro peak years, but also won the first big trophies of his career. Given his still relatively young age for a rifler and the new successful environment in FURIA, this looks less like a random surge and more like the beginning of a new stage.
What this means for FURIA and the scene
YEKINDAR’s success in the ranking directly correlates with FURIA’s breakthrough in 2025. The Brazilian organization again found itself in the spotlight, won several prestigious trophies, and for a period topped the global rankings. The Latvian became a symbol of this renewal: a European rifler in a Brazilian core who combined aggression, Tier-1 experience, and a strong team-first mindset.
For the scene overall, YEKINDAR’s story is an example of how a player with the reputation of a “fading star” can return to the top through the right environment and personal work. It also highlights the importance of international rosters and cultural mixes in modern CS2: the most successful teams are increasingly built not around one region, but around the right roles and personalities.
read more
Series of EVP awards
YEKINDAR finished 2025 in 15th place in the HLTV ranking, combining standout individual performances with a key role in FURIA’s three major trophies. A series of EVP awards, strong play in finals, high stats against top teams, and willingness to take responsibility in decisive moments returned him to the elite list of world CS2. He remains one of FURIA’s main driving forces and one of the most influential aggressive riflers on the scene, and 2025 can confidently be called the year of his full-scale restart.
