The debate about the best Counter-Strike player is never-ending and can quickly get explosive. Rather than saying outright who we think is the best, we’re taking a cooled-off approach and asking: Is Robin “ropz” Kool the best CS player?
To quote ropz’s FaZe Clan teammate, Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken, on Twitter (X) following the release of Counter-Strike 2: “I think it’s time to have this discussion. ropz is the best CS2 player, and it’s not even close.”
A bold statement, yes, and it definitely got us thinking. Let’s take a closer look at the career of ropz, his most significant accomplishments, dominance in CS2 with FaZe Clan, MVP awards, stats, and gameplay style.
Please note: The contents of this article are based on the author’s opinion and do not necessarily align with all Thunderpick staff.
Who Is ropz?
Born on Dec. 22, 1999, Robin “ropz” Kool is a professional CS player from Estonia. His career began in 2015 in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) and he has been active ever since, honing his razor-sharp reflexes and game sense.
ropz played for a team called “OnlineBOTS” at the start of his career, then moved to AWTR in 2016. He first made his presence felt in top-tier CS esports when he joined mousesports (now known as MOUZ) in 2017, where he competed and impressed for more than four years. ropz now plays for FaZe Clan in the lurker role, clicking heads with his immense rifling prowess since he joined on Jan. 3, 2022.
ropz CS2 Gameplay & Stats
You only have to watch a few FaZe Clan matches to realize just how big of an impact ropz can have on the server. In CS2, he is even more aggressive in his lurker role for the team. No matter who’s around the next corner—even if it’s the likes of NiKo or ZywOo—it feels like ropz can win the duel. The Estonian superstar radiates confidence in every move he makes!
In an interview with HLTV, ropz talks about his confidence in CS2 and aggression on the server:
“I try to keep my aggression balanced. I think for me, it’s a lot about confidence. With more confidence, having a good feel, or being ‘one’ with the game, it’s so much easier to read or predict situations.”
Check out a prime example of the confidence and skill ropz exhibits in the video below, which features a 2v1 post-plant clutch in the 20th round on Vertigo against Virtus.pro at the Thunderpick World Championship 2023.
EMBED https://clips.twitch.tv/WonderfulColdbloodedInternKlappa-KNtL3GFil414B0UL
Combine ropz’s impeccable aim skills with map awareness and his ability to figure out Smoke and Flash Grenade placements, and you’ve got a recipe for one of, if not the best, CS2 players in the world. In fact, ropz is a pioneer for new grenades and meta shifts. Speaking to HLTV, ropz explained:
“I probably authored a lot of the new grenades, which are now becoming meta. The types of smokes and flashes which could be beneficial in most, if not every, round. In defaults, taking map control, etc. It definitely helps in individual performance and winning rounds in general, having these new grenades and ideas early.”
Despite some FaZe Clan players looking shaky at the launch of CS2, ropz has performed at the highest possible level. He also helps out the legendary Danish IGL, Finn “karrigan” Andersen, in the theory room.
ropz CS2 Stats
His stats are well above most of his teammates, with the following values per data pulled from HLTV.
- Player Rating: 1.15
- Impact: 1.10
- Kills Per Round (KPR): 0.74
- Deaths Per Round (DPR): 0.61
- Average Damage Per Round (ADR): 78.6
Please note: The stats above indicate CS2 matches against the top 20 teams on Nov. 28, 2023.
ropz MVP Awards
For the uninitiated, MVP stands for Most Valuable Player, and ropz has earned his fair share of these awards throughout his impressive career thus far. The FaZe Clan rifler has accumulated five MVP trophies (as of December 2023) at these top-tier events:
- Thunderpick World Championship 2023
- CS Asia Championships 2023
- ESL Pro League Season 17
- ESL Pro League Season 15
- ESL Pro League Season 10
We’re sure ropz will earn many more MVP awards in the future. It’s worth noting that there are players who have earned more, such as Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyljev, who has an impressive 21 trophies. But we, and the entire CS2 audience, are excited to see how ropz’s career progresses.
ropz’ Greatest CS Accomplishments
As of November 2023, ropz has helped his teams win nine big trophies—seven with FaZe Clan and two with MOUZ. As a reminder, ropz joined FaZe Clan in January 2022, so the fact that he helped them win seven trophies in that short amount of time is incredibly impressive.
Unless otherwise specified, ropz played with FaZe Clan in the list of his greatest CS accomplishments below.
- CS:GO Asia Championships 2019: First place (with MOUZ), beating ENCE 2-0 in the final.
- ESL Pro League Season 10: First place (with MOUZ), sweeping Fnatic 3-0 in the final.
- Intel Extreme Masters (IEM): First place, sweeping G2 Esports 3-0 in the final.
- ESL Pro League Season 15: First place, beating ENCE 3-1 in the final.
- PGL Major Antwerp 2022: First place, sweeping Na’Vi 2-0 in the final.
- IEM Cologne 2022: First place, narrowly beating Na’Vi 3-2 in the final.
- ESL Pro League Season 17: First place, beating Cloud9 3-1 in the final.
- Thunderpick World Championship 2023: First place, sweeping Virtus.pro 2-0 in the final.
- CS Asia Championships 2023: First place, sweeping MOUZ 2-0 in the final.
With the EPL Season 15 and 17 wins, along with IEM Katowice and IEM Cologne 2022, FaZe Clan earned an extra $1 million by claiming the Intel Grand Slam Season 4 prize.
We know what you’re thinking. Yes, Robin “ropz” Kool’s trophy cabinet must be huge. And with the launch of CS2, we think it’s likely that it will expand dramatically.
So, Is ropz The Greatest CS Player?
On paper, looking at the raw stats against top-tier opposition, Robin “ropz” Kool is absolutely one of the best CS2 players. He helped FaZe Clan become ranked #1 in the world through multiple big tournament wins since CS2’s release and a win streak of 18 matches before being shut down by Vitality.
Considering the immaculate gameplay of ropz as the star player of FaZe Clan, it’s difficult to build a solid argument as to why the Estonian superstar shouldn’t be called the current best CS2 player in the world. Will ropz reign supreme for months or years to come, or will another player emerge to steal the throne? We’re excited to find out!
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