AK-47. Soviet Union’s WW2 creation. More importantly, the God of Counter-Strike. To master it is the Bible of all Counter-Strike players. Rifler or AWPer. (unless you’re kennyS)

Being the true OG of Counter-Strike, the most famous gun in the world (both inside and outside of esports) finds itself one of the most defining and attractive factors of CS, ever since its inception. It is one of the only guns that has been perfect in all regards ever since the start. It has not been nerfed like the AWP or worse yet, the AUG/SG553. It’s been balanced. Always. It will remain balanced. Forever.

In a world where AWPers take all the glory, exceptions being only someone godly like ScreaM, it is difficult, but highly necessary, to recognize and celebrate the best AK players in the world right now. (I’m only talking about esports. The outsiders are not so much worth celebrating)

From eyegasming one-taps to beyond-comprehension spray-downs, this gun has illustrated careers and ‘godified’ people. In honor of the gun that you can only pray in front of, let me introduce to you the best AK-47 players in the world right now.

(Players who are primarily AWPers but still better than many players on this list with the AK (yes, s1mple, I’m looking at you) will be excluded.)

10. Hobbit

The veteran master of Gambit.

Abay "Hobbit" Khassenov is a rifler from Kazakhstan with a very interesting career trajectory. Soon after winning the major with Gambit back in 2017, he left for HellRaisers but after Gambit’s slump and a fall into irrelevancy, he was signed back by Gambit last year.

The 27-year-old’s stats may be rather silent but his guidance to the youngsters of Gambit has not gone unnoticed. Gambit is now at the top of the world and is amongst the front-runners to win the Major this year.

Major Tournament Achievements (Recent):

• BLAST Premier: Spring Finals 2021 ($425,000)
• IEM Season XVI – Summer ($250,000)
• IEM Season XV - World Championship ($1,000,000)

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9. huNter

The talented yet overshadowed brother.

Nemanja Kovač is a rifler and the cousin of NiKo. The two brothers both play for G2 and both have been phenomenal so far. With a rating of 1.12 and an ADR of 80.8, he has repeatedly proved himself more than just a shadow of his shared blood. His average damage per round and kills per round are top-grade and are only narrowly beaten by his brother. In the past two LAN events, 15 months apart, huNter has played a crucial part in G2’s run to the grand finals. In both events. Losing only to the almighty s1mple. Both times.

Major Tournament Achievements (Recent):

• BLAST Premier: Fall 2020 Regular Season ($150,000)
• BLAST Premier: Spring Showdown 2021 ($162,500)

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8. EliGE

dupreeh of Liquid, only without all that success.

The star, loyal, veteran rifler in Jonathan “EliGE” Jablonowski has plied his trade for Team Liquid for 6 years now. And he still is 23. Having been played with the likes of s1mple, Hiko, Twistzz, and now FalleN, he has seen it all and he has fought for it all. In their era, Team Liquid was the best of the rest by a mile, being beaten only by Astralis’ golden age. Having lost a Major final and being one of the frontrunners for many others, especially in 2019, EliGE has seen and suffered a lot, despite being extraordinary. This year, under the captainship of FalleN, EliGE has improved a lot and with an astonishing rating of 1.16 in 2021, he is all out to win that elusive Major trophy.

Major Tournament Achievements (Recent):

• IEM XIV – Chicago ($250,000)
• BLAST Pro Series: Los Angeles 2019 ($250,000)
• ESL One: Cologne 2019 ($300,000)

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7. ax1le

Another rising youngster. Russian, yes.

Sergey "Ax1Le" Rykhtorov is a Russian CS:GO rifler. Alongside sh1ro, he is another cog in the wheel that keeps Gambit running on the path of success. He has a 1.20 rating in 2021 and is another young superstar for the new generation of CS:GO.

Major Tournament Achievements (Recent):

• BLAST Premier: Spring Finals 2021 ($425,000)
• IEM Season XVI – Summer ($250,000)
• IEM Season XV - World Championship ($1,000,000)

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Twitch

6. mir

Partner-in-crime for degster

Nikolay “mir” Bityukov is a Russian rifler playing for Team Spirit. The former Gambit player’s individual stats are top-notch. He has an astonishing rating of 1.21 in 2021 and an ADR of 85.1, beating the likes of zywOo and NiKo. He even rivals the untouched player of 2021: s1mple. He has been instrumental in all of Team Spirit’s wins this season.

Major Tournament Achievements (Recent):

• DreamHack Open January 2021: Europe ($70,000)
• Nine to Five #3 ($50,000)
• SECTOR: MOSTBET Season 1 ($50,000)

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5. Twistzz

The reborn Scream.

Russel Van Dulken is a Canadian rifler plying his trade at FaZe Clan currently. He famously played with Liquid and contested for the majors strongly for years. Individually, his numbers are gigantic. With his high headshot percentage, he has forced his way into the history books, standing alongside the Scream and a few others for the heftiest numbers.

Despite FaZe Clan’s famous fall out of the top 20 (top 35, at that), Twistzz rating and individual performances remain high with a 1.13 rating in 2021. In the first LAN, Twistzz and FaZe Clan proved all haters and doubters wrong with their extraordinary performance that saw them end up in the top 4 of the tournament. They defeated the likes of Vitality, Heroic, and Gambit! Not only that, they even climbed from rank 38 before the tournament to an astonishing rank that they most definitely deserve: 6.

Major Tournament Achievements (Recent):

• IEM Season XIV – Chicago ($250,000)
• ESL One: Cologne 2019 ($300,000)
• ESL Pro League Season 9: Finals ($600,000)

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Twitch 

4. ropz

The one doing the ultimate carryjob: the genius in ropz.

Robin Kool is a mousesports rifler who has stepped up immensely after karrigan’s departure. While everyone had dismissed mousesports, this Estonian’s step-up has shocked the world, and his 1.20 rating speaks for itself. With ice in his veins, his best pops out when he’s under immense pressure. He is the sole reason why mousesports are still relevant in the community today.

Major Tournament Achievements (Recent):

• Flashpoint Season 3 ($50,000)
• Snow Sweet Snow #3 ($100,000)
• BLAST Premier: Fall 2020 Showdown ($150,000)

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3. electronic

Another selfless, overshadowed star.

Denis Sharipov is a rifler for NaVi and a great one, at that. s1mple’s sidekick has played second fiddle for all his career but his numbers have remained strong and unignorable. With a 1.11 rating in 2021, the clutch-iest but the most inconsistent player on the NaVi roster crawls his way into this list. He also had number 5 rank in 2020’s HLTV players, so it’s only fitting for the Cologne winner to find his number here.

Major Tournament Achievements (Recent):

• IEM XVI Cologne 2021t ($1,000,000):
• StarLadder CIS RMR 2021 ($100,000)
• BLAST Premier: Global Final 2020 ($1,000,000)

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Twitch

2. b1t

The reborn Twistzz. What? The reborn reborn ScreaM? The final salvation for s1mple, I guess.

Valerii “b1t” Vakhovskyi is a rifler in NaVi who has risen through the NaVi ranks, impressing in NaVi Junior and then going on to replace flamie. He is as close to greatness as his face is to his screen. He is touted as the next big thing in the CS:GO world and an heir to s1mple’s majestic throne. At only 18 years of age, his headshot percentage is off the charts, competing closely and frequently beating the likes of Twistzz and the famous headshot god, ScreaM, himself. Needless to say, he’s leading the Headshot Percentage charts for 2021.

Playing a crucial part in NaVi’s emphatic victory in his first-ever LAN in IEM Cologne, his presence and consistency (as opposed to the allu-level flamie) will be key going into the Major for NaVi.

Major Tournament Achievements (Recent):

• IEM XVI Cologne 2021t ($1,000,000):
• StarLadder CIS RMR 2021 ($100,000)
• BLAST Premier: Global Final 2020 ($1,000,000)

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Twitch

1. NiKo

The most consistent player in always-coming-close-to-being-the-best-in-the-world-but-never-being-one (but being the best rifler multiple times).

Despite having neither the flash of s1mple nor the explosiveness of sh1ro, this Bosnian-Herzegovinian rifler has been in contention for the world’s best player for years now and has multiple times been the best rifler in the world (2020, for example). His headshot percentage and clutch statistics are eye-watering. After his slight slump into irrelevancy in the online era, he shone brightly on the first LAN event in the cathedral of Counter-Strike, reached the grand finals, and proved that he still is the best rifler in the world.

He leads G2 currently with a rating of 1.16 alongside his cousin, huNter.

Major Tournament Achievements (Recent):

• BLAST Premier: Fall 2020 Regular Season ($150,000)
• BLAST Premier: Spring Showdown 2021 ($162,500)

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Twitch

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