Through three stages of the IEM Cologne Major 2026, one player has distinguished himself from the competition. Team Spirit’s rifler, donk, leads the leaderboard with an impressive rating of 1.53, positioning him as a strong candidate for the tournament’s MVP award as the playoffs approach.
While donk stands out, he is closely followed by Vitality’s ZywOo, who has a rating of 1.51, creating a narrow gap of only 0.02 points between them.
#Who are the top players?
The top five rated players from the competition give insight into the elite talent within Counter-Strike 2. The list includes:
- donk – 1.53
- ZywOo – 1.51
- sh1ro – 1.34
- HeavyGod – 1.33
- molodoy – 1.32
For reference, the HLTV ratings are derived from metrics such as kill-to-death ratios, impact kills, and contributions per round, with 1.00 being an average performance.
Let’s note the substantial drop between the top two and the rest. sh1ro, who is donk’s teammate at Team Spirit, holds third place with a rating of 1.34, trailing nearly two-tenths behind the leaders. HeavyGod and FURIA’s molodoy follow closely behind at 1.33 and 1.32, respectively.
#Why is donk’s performance remarkable?
Donk’s remarkable performance is anchored in consistency. Last year, he recorded a rating of 1.50 during the Cologne event, and he has improved to 1.53 this year.
With sh1ro also ranked in the top five, Team Spirit proudly showcases two of the tournament's best players, highlighting their strong performance. Meanwhile, ZywOo continues to demonstrate his skill for Vitality, the defending champions, with a rating of 1.51 through the group stages.
#What can we expect in the playoffs?
The IEM Cologne Major 2026 features 32 teams competing across various locations in Cologne, Germany, including the Palladium and Lanxess Arena. The tournament is scheduled to continue until June 2026, culminating in the playoff phase that constitutes the final rounds of the competition.
Both Spirit and Vitality are recognized as top seeds alongside NaVi and Falcons, indicating that the leading MVP candidates are also part of teams likely to advance deep into the playoffs.