CS2 Power Rankings. Top 10 Teams Based on First Half 2025 Results. Why is Spirit Outside the Top 3?
The Major is over, teams are going on their traditional summer break, which means it’s time to summarize the season that has already passed. At the moment, we have two current rankings that show the distribution of power – VRS and HLTV. But numbers don’t always reflect adequate results, so we suggest looking at the past season from the perspective of each team’s journey and results.
10. G2
- Number of tournaments (S-Tier, A-Tier): 8
- Best Results: 2nd place PGL Bucharest, 3rd-4th place BLAST Bounty S1
The Samurai started the year without one of their main leaders – NiKo, and young Ilya Osipov had to completely take on this role. It got to the point where m0NESY started sitting in the middle at LAN tournaments, which sparked rumors that the sniper was preparing to become a full-fledged captain. For almost 4 months, G2 literally suffered and tried to maintain the standard of a top collective, but it was clear that none of his teammates could match Ilya’s level, and carrying every game solo was becoming unbearable. Ironically, their only final came at an event where the contract for m0NESY’s transfer to Falcons had already been signed. In Bucharest, the Samurai gave away not only the cup but also their main asset.
After this, G2 became completely unwatchable, and their place in the top 10 is solely due to other teams doing no better. MalbsMd lost his form, and the incoming HeavyGod was the only bright spot throughout the past year. Their period with Hades isn’t even worth discussing – just look at his stats. On the positive side – we saw TaZ’s return to the server, who really tried and was one step away from the PGL Astana playoffs.
9. FaZe
- Number of tournaments (S-Tier, A-Tier): 8
- Best Results: 3rd place PGL Bucharest (Studio format)
FaZe found themselves in a very similar situation, having given away ropz for free, which severely hit the morale of the entire team. They rarely made it to playoffs, and looking at this roster – their results only brought tears. However, the roster itself played really well, especially ELiGE looked good, who is used to compensating for other players’ poor shooting, but broky was so weak that it wasn’t enough. It’s unknown what happened to the Latvian sniper, but he looked very lost and couldn’t hit elementary shots.
He was given too many chances and only before the Major was replaced with s1mple. Surprisingly – even after a long inactivity – Koshelev looked much better and helped FaZe reach the main tournament playoffs. Such a replacement was needed much earlier, but apparently financial problems forced them to postpone everything until the critical point. Most likely, if they had made such a move in early spring – we would have seen completely different FaZe.
8. GamerLegion
- Number of tournaments (S-Tier, A-Tier): 6
- Best Results: Made playoffs at 3 tournaments
For many, this may seem strange, but these guys really have very cool gameplay that deserves a place in the top 10. They are much more interesting to watch than G2 and FaZe, and their results are no worse. They made playoffs three times, but at this stage you need great experience, which they are obviously still acquiring. In the group stage, GL has victories over FaZe, G2, Falcons, MOUZ and other strong collectives, so for us, this team definitely deserves to be in the top 10.
Thanks to their coach, the guys have one of the strongest structures at the moment, and REZ has risen from the ashes and terrorizes opponents, getting 30 frags per map. They had an obvious problem with an unstable sniper, but by the end of the season Sl3nd was already benched. The current low rating is due to missing the Major because of failed online qualifications. This is a bright example where one mistake can cost you the loss of many points.
7. NAVI
- Number of tournaments (S-Tier, A-Tier): 7
- Best Results: 3rd-4th place Blast Bounty S1 and IEM Katowice
As you can see from the results, the best team of 2024 could still carry on previous baggage at the beginning of the year, but then they became a pale shadow of themselves. And this is despite the team skipping several tournaments and having time to fix mistakes. Last year they had 9 finals and players complained about lack of rest, as they always reached the last game day and were forced to immediately go to another event without additional preparation. Apparently this was the key to success – being in tone. Perhaps on the contrary – current results are the outcome of burnout and squeezing the maximum from this roster.
As you can understand, there’s not much to discuss here. Poor results are a consequence of poor individual form of each player, and even the incredibly stable b1t often failed matches.
6. Aurora
- Number of tournaments (S-Tier, A-Tier): 9
- Best Results: 2nd place Blast Bounty S1 and 3rd place PGL Astana
The Turkish collective started the year very brightly and set the tone for the entire season. The guys regularly participated in all events without any rest and almost always made it to playoffs, but there they really had problems. This fact became the main disadvantage, because of which, with really good gameplay, they couldn’t reach higher places and unexpectedly stopped after decent momentum.
Recall that in April the roster changed their native tag from Eternal Fire to Aurora. All this is not without reason: tightening of laws in Turkey complicated life not only financially but threatened their freedom, so the sale helped them get more comfortable conditions. It’s possible that they finished the rest of the season not in the best way precisely because of too eventful and dense six months.
5. The MongolZ
- Number of tournaments (S-Tier, A-Tier): 9
- Best Results: 2nd place Blast Austin Major and 4 semifinals
Hardly anyone will argue, especially after the Major, that the Mongolians managed to win the hearts of the entire community. Absolutely calm, pleasant guys who only care about playing CS, and this gameplay looks very cool. They seriously fought back against Vitality, and other teams no longer cause trembling or constraint. In their game you can see both cool strategies and game plans, as well as gorgeous shooting with lots of highlights, plus decent results. What else does a viewer need?
Similar emotions were experienced at home and, unlike the Turks – the Mongolians received full government support: from diplomatic passports to organized match viewings at the country’s main venues.
4. Spirit
- Number of tournaments (S-Tier, A-Tier): 7
- Best Results: 1st place Blast Bounty S1 and PGL Astana, 2nd place IEM Katowice
Perhaps for many it’s surprising that the Dragons are outside the top 3, but as you can see – the guys played only three finals, two of which came in January/February. Just like NAVI, they started the season on the baggage of 2024, and then faced problems in the form of more prepared and stronger collectives. The most paradoxical thing is that it’s unlikely to find an obviously weak spot in Spirit. In our view, opponents simply learned to play against donk, who, while not dropping individually, obviously faces much greater resistance.
Because of this, “donk go kill” stopped working, and at the right moment teammates couldn’t always support. The same victory at PGL Astana – purely on Danya’s shoulders and his individual form, which is why it’s difficult to put the Dragons above the rest of the trio. Also, the team missed many tournaments and performed in an extremely gentle mode, which, while can be considered reasonable management work, we want to see real non-stop action!
3. Falcons
- Number of tournaments (S-Tier, A-Tier): 9
- Best Results: 2nd place PGL Bucharest, 2nd place PGL Cluj-Napoca, IEM Melbourne, Blast Rivals 2025
The team had two eras – before m0NESY’s arrival and after. Moreover, the only victory was achieved precisely with degster in the lineup, but in our opinion, the next two silvers are much more valuable and solid than the single gold. Those crazy full BO5 finals against Vitality clearly showed us that Falcons are the only team ready to stop the terrible monsters. Yes, things didn’t work out for the guys in America, but the roster already knew about the changes, and those same finals, which to some extent they even lost – couldn’t help but affect the players.
You can consider that third place is given in advance, with a reserve for next year, but ask yourself – will you remember at least one Spirit match, and not those same two crazy grand finals against possibly the best team in CS history?
2. MOUZ
- Number of tournaments (S-Tier, A-Tier): 8
- Best Results: 1st place PGL Cluj-Napoca, EPL S21, Blast Open Lisbon, IEM Dallas
After kicking siuhy, only the lazy didn’t condemn the Mice, and the first tournament they played with an academy player was a complete failure. Then we saw the signing of Spinx, and even the victory in Cluj-Napoca didn’t remove skepticism about MOUZ’s future. But they began to gain momentum from game to game and came to the Major with three defeats in grand finals against Vitality. It’s hard not to praise this team, who simply had bad luck playing in someone else’s era.
Separately, I want to note the cool atmosphere in the collective, thanks to which they really look like a family. We’re sure they have a great future and no one will be able to break up this roster, which could have been thought about last year when the main core was confidently gaining momentum and getting bumps in playoff stages.
1. Vitality
- Number of tournaments (S-Tier, A-Tier): 8
- Best Results: 7 consecutive victories, including Major and Intel Grand Slam
Do we need to explain anything here? This is a phenomenon that writes its own history and forces other teams right now to come up with ways to bypass them. The arrival of ropz is definitely the best transfer in CS history, especially when they didn’t pay a penny for him (except for personal contract costs).
This team has no weak spots and you can only beat them by playing better, but no one has managed to do this yet (talking about BO3 and BO5 matches). Vitality are going on vacation with absolute calm and will be happy to watch what opponents try to come up with against them.
