Counter-Strike analyst Aleksandar ‘kassad’ Trifunović has restarted the AWPer GOAT debate with a single post: Ilya ‘m0NESY’ Osipov is, in his view, the greatest AWPer in Counter-Strike history. ‘The best AWPer in the history of any Counter-Strike version,’ kassad called him, adding that he’s ‘probably the closest thing to a perfect AWP player.’ The kicker: m0NESY is still 21.
The HLTV record so far
m0NESY’s career arc is remarkable. From G2 wonderkid in 2022 to Falcons superstar in 2026, the HLTV top-20 finishes tell the story: #7 in 2022, #4 in 2023, #2 in 2024, #4 in 2025. He won the 2024 AWPer of the Year award ahead of ZywOo and sh1ro, and his long-term rating sits among the highest in elite CS2.
The Falcons move
April 2025 brought one of the biggest transfers in Counter-Strike history when Falcons signed m0NESY from G2. The reunion with NiKo — his former G2 partner — added another layer; m0NESY admitted publicly that playing alongside NiKo again ‘feels different’ because of their existing chemistry. The 2026 karrigan addition completed the project around them.
The aggressive AWPer identity
m0NESY built his reputation on hyper-aggression — fast reactions, constant pressure, the willingness to create rounds rather than wait for them. In past interviews he’s said directly that he doesn’t like passive AWPing; he wants to drive map control. That style produces the impossible flicks and arena clutches that go viral.
The debate
kassad’s call is going to face pushback. s1mple’s longevity, MVP count, and peak years are still the core counterargument — and m0NESY himself has previously ranked s1mple as the GOAT on personal lists. ZywOo, dev1ce, FalleN, and kennyS all have different cases. But analysts agree: if m0NESY maintains his current trajectory through his prime years, the debate doesn’t stay open. It tilts.
