apEX: Best Captain of the Year

The role of the in-game leader (IGL) in Counter-Strike 2 is often undervalued by viewers who only watch for flashy headshots. However, experts know: without a competent captain, even the strongest aimers turn into unmanageable chaos. 2025 gave us incredible competition among tactical minds, but one name shone brighter than the rest. The Best CS 2 Captain award this season deservedly goes to Dan “apEX” Madesclaire. His achievement is based on a lethal combination of personal stats and, more importantly, unprecedented team success. Leading a squad through a historic year, winning two Majors, and clinching the Intel Grand Slam is a level that permanently etches the Frenchman’s name into esports history. In this material, the CSGO-NEWS analytical department breaks down how this ranking was calculated and who competed with the Vitality leader in the race for the title of the world’s top strategist.

Methodology: How did we choose the best?

Defining who the Best CS 2 Captain is proves harder than picking the best sniper. A captain’s influence isn’t always reflected in the scoreboard (TAB). To make the choice as objective and transparent as possible, we used a formula considering four key factors:

• Workload: Number of maps played against Tier-1 teams throughout the entire year of 2025. The sample size must be significant to rule out fluke successes.

• Win Rate: Total percentage of victories on these maps. A captain must be able to lead the team to victory over a distance.

• Trophy Cabinet: Number of cups, finals, and podium finishes. Ultimately, history remembers the winners.

• Individual Performance: Rating 2.0, KPR (kills per round), DPR (deaths per round), and ADR (average damage). A modern captain must not only “call” but also shoot.

Combining this data allowed us to fairly compare leaders from different regions with various playstyles.

5. Ludvig “Brollan” Brolin: A Successful Transformation

Opening our top is the Swedish talent who surprised many in 2025 by switching from a star rifler role to the captain position. Ludvig “Brollan” Brolin proved that high firepower can be combined with leadership duties.

• Maps played: 181

• Rating: 5.6

• Damage (ADR): 67.49 Under his leadership, the team won one major trophy, reached finals six times, and took third place five times. Brollan’s stats (0.58 KPR) show that his shooting didn’t “sag” while taking on coordination. His quick mid-round adaptations and ability to read the opponent’s game made him one of the most promising captains of the new wave. This was a formative year that showed the Swede’s massive potential in a new role.

4. Damjan “kyxsan” Stoilkovski (Team Falcons): The Macedonian Core

Fourth place goes to the Team Falcons leader. Damjan “kyxsan” Stoilkovski had an incredibly stable season, managing a team full of star egos. His individual metrics are among the best of all IGLs this year.

• Maps played: 187

• Rating: 5.7

• Damage (ADR): 66.46 Damjan demonstrated that the Best CS 2 Captain is one who can build a structure. Under him, Falcons won PGL Bucharest and reached finals in five more major events. Kyxsan stands out for his low death count (0.66 DPR), speaking to his ability to survive and play out clutches while saving the team’s economy.

3. Leonid “chopper” Vishnyakov (Team Spirit): Sacrificing Himself for Stars

The bronze goes to the highly experienced Team Spirit leader. Leonid “chopper” Vishnyakov is an example of a support captain ready to sacrifice his stats so his star players can shine.

• Maps played: 148

• Rating: 5.4

• Damage (ADR): 61.56 Though his personal numbers (0.54 KPR) are more modest than his competitors’, the team’s result speaks for itself. Six trophies won and a constant presence in the world Counter-Strike elite is a direct credit to his tactical genius. Chopper’s style often involves risk and aggressive calls, but it’s exactly this strategy that brings Spirit victories when the team is in peak form. He proved that keeping young talents in check and directing their energy into the right channel is an art.

2. Garidmagnai “bLitz” Byambasuren (The MongolZ): The Asian Phenomenon

Second place goes to the captain who made a real breakthrough for his region. Garidmagnai “bLitz” Byambasuren shouldered one of the heaviest schedules of the year and handled it brilliantly.

• Maps played: 196

• Rating: 6.0

• Damage (ADR): 76.12 (Leader of the list!) Just think: a captain with a 6.0 rating and ADR above 76! Those are star rifler stats, not a coordinator’s. BLitz led The MongolZ to a historic year. Deep runs at IEM Katowice 2025 and BLAST Bounty Fall 2025 made the whole world respect the Mongolian school of CS. But the crowning achievement was the victory at the Esports World Cup 2025. BLitz turned his team from “dark horses” into a squad the top teams fear. If not for the historic records of first place, Garidmagnai could have easily taken the gold in our ranking.

1. Dan “apEX” Madesclaire (Team Vitality): The King of 2025

And finally, the undisputed winner. The Best CS 2 Captain of 2025 is Dan “apEX” Madesclaire. This year, the French veteran surpassed himself. Managing Team Vitality’s complex mechanism, he not only demonstrated decent individual play but also made the key decisions that brought gold. Winner’s stats:

• Maps played: 190

• Rating: 5.7

• Trophies: 9 (including 2 Majors and Grand Slam)

The list of Vitality’s achievements under his leadership in 2025 looks like a millionaire’s shopping list:

• Victory at IEM Katowice.

• Championship at the StarLadder Budapest Major.

• Triumph at the BLAST Austin Major.

• Securing the prestigious ESL Grand Slam Season 5.

With these wins, apEX brought his Major count to four, definitively cementing his place in the debate over the greatest captains of all time. Dan knows how to charge the team with emotion, his mid-round reading has become the gold standard, and his ability to keep a cool head in finals (despite his expressive persona) was a key factor in their success. Even in a year where bLitz showed shooting miracles and chopper gathered a trophy collection, apEX’s ability to lead his team to victory at the year’s two main tournaments (Majors) makes his selection non-negotiable. This was Vitality’s year, and it was apEX’s year.

The Best Coach of the Year is already in our article! [Read…]