Twistzz cracks HLTV's best player list for StarLadder Budapest

While Mathieu "⁠ZywOo⁠" Herbaut claimed yet another MVP award from HLTV, alongside his now third Major trophy, NA's lone representative in the very highest tier of professional CS2 got his flowers as well.

HLTV placed Russel "⁠Twistzz⁠" Van Dulken 7th in their list of "best players" at the most recent Major, earning their Exceptionally Valuable Player (or EVP) designation for the third time this year, after earning it at EPL Season 22 with FaZe and at FISSURE Playground #2 in his final event with Liquid.

Twistzz's best maps came in the playoffs, via a 16/5 performance in the 13-2 beatdown against MOUZ and a 20/10 showing against NAVI on the same map. His strong game against Vitality on Nuke was a crucial part of FaZe's sole map win during the grand final.

No other North American player received an EVP or All-Star nod, primary due to none other than Twistzz reaching playoffs. Though while he's not an NA player but one playing on an NA team, Vladyslav "⁠Kvem⁠" Korol received an honorable mention for his 1.21 rating during Passion UA's group stage run.

ZywOo leads all players with 13 combined MVPs (8) and EVPs (5) in 2025. The next closest to him is Danil "⁠donk⁠" Kryshkovets, who has 4 MVPs and 7 EVPs. Jonathan "EliGE" Jablonowski is the only other NA player with a single EVP designation, earning it at PGL Cluj-Napoca while with FaZe.