Following many star-studded years of competing at one of the highest levels in esports, Oleksandr ‘s1mple’ Kostyliev has been crowned the Best CSGO Player of the Decade. Behind closed doors, a panel of seventy-five iconic CSGO players voted for the person who was the most deserving of this award, and of course, that person was s1mple. For several years, s1mple has been a world-class competitor, fighting relentlessly to be classed as the greatest player in the game.

He has been playing competitively for a decade, has secured almost $2 million in earnings, and has proven himself a world-champion CSGO player. With Natus Vincere, s1mple has worked to set the CSGO bar for more than six years, winning trophy after trophy. He’s an award-winning player in more ways than one, securing not just this accolade, but also Esports Awards, and Player of the Year awards.

This could be the feather in s1mple’s cap, as out of every player to compete over the course of a decade, he’s the best.

For Every Cloud

Image Credit: BLAST

At the IEM Rio Major, Natus Vincere was dealt a crushing blow at the hands of FURIA, being forcefully ejected from the competition. It was a hard-struck hit for the team, which many thought would go on to win the ultimate prize in the end. Nonetheless, Natus Vincere bowed out of the tournament, pulling a fifth-place finish overall. Following this devastating result, s1mple received his award – and he was grateful for it, despite the loss.

He remained humble as he accepted his award, saying:

‘The game changed my life. I just want to play, play, play.’

Reportedly, thirteen of the best CSGO players were voted on, and s1mple topped that list. He was closely followed by dev1ce, f0rest, karrigan, FalleN, and coldzera. This list was apparently put together based on these players’ contributions to the CSGO scene, the esports industry, and their level of play and in-game consistency. It was a monumental moment for s1mple, who, bizarrely, didn’t win his first Major until 2021, when Natus Vincere struck gold at the PGL Stockholm Major.

The Longest Road

When he was just sixteen years old, s1mple’s competitive journey commenced, and it was in 2014 that he had his big break. Following a huge victory over Fnatic at DreamHack Winter, s1mple gained global fame, becoming a hot commodity in the CSGO scene. He played for several smaller organisations before being signed by Team Liquid in 2016, and then shortly after, Natus Vincere. He’s flown the Na’Vi banner ever since, and he’s to the organisation as peanut butter is to jelly.

It has been a long and arduous journey for the Ukrainian superstar, but his tenacity and determination have paid off with this remarkably prestigious award. Following an inspirational path through the scene, s1mple is officially the Best CSGO Player of the Decade.