W0nderful Ranked 11th on HLTV's List of the Best Players of 2024

On Jan 3, 2025, HLTV announced the 11th place in the ranking of the top 20 players of 2024 in Counter-Strike 2. This spot was claimed by the Ukrainian player Ihor "w0nderful" Zhdanov. Notably, this is the first time the player has made it into the list, marking a significant milestone in his career.

This year, the talented Natus Vincere player showcased impressive gameplay and equally remarkable statistics, which helped the team secure numerous titles. His overall rating was 1.11, KPR – 0.72, KAST – 74.7%, and Impact rating – 1.04. Most of his best performances were delivered at tier-S tournaments, contributing to his high position in this year's HLTV top 20.

Career Highlights and Achievements

The player began his professional gaming career at a young age. As he explains, it wasn’t something he intentionally pursued—he simply played Counter-Strike, and a team invited him to join. W0nderful gradually gained momentum and came to be regarded as one of the biggest local talents, eventually moving on to play for more serious teams. He made a strong impression while playing for Tasko Esports, and although he didn’t win any major tournaments with them, his good stats allowed him to climb the rankings.

In 2022, the young talent caught the attention of Team Spirit, who invited him to join their roster. Although his time with them was brief, he managed to secure victory at the FiReLEAGUE 2022: Global Finals, marking his first major win at the professional level.

After playing for Sprout, w0nderful transitioned to NAVI in 2023 as their sniper. This proved to be a smart move for the team. With NAVI, w0nderful achieved victories at PGL Major Copenhagen 2024, Esports World Cup 2024, ESL Pro League Season 20, and several other tournaments, solidifying his reputation and earning widespread recognition.

2024 Recap and Bold Prediction

In 2024, w0nderful and NAVI secured numerous victories and can rightfully call themselves the best team of the year. However, their most significant achievement in 2024 was winning the PGL Major Copenhagen 2024, with w0nderful earning the title of EVP.

The player displayed inconsistent performance throughout the year—dominating some tournaments while delivering average performances in others—but he always contributed positively to the team's success. He also noted that 2024 was an incredible year for him, and he is determined to continue making the top players list, aiming for a spot in the HLTV Top 5 rankings.

Bold prediction: Eduard "⁠zeRRoFIX⁠" Petrovskyi, a player for Passion UA, made a strong impression at the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024.

How would you rate w0nderful's position in the list of the top 20 players of the year in Counter-Strike 2?