BLAST Open Porto 2026 EVP Awards and All-Stars: sh1ro, ZywOo, m0NESY Among Standouts

The EVP selections for BLAST Open Porto 2026 have been revealed, recognizing six players who delivered some of the tournament's strongest performances behind MVP winner Danil "donk" Kryshkovets.

Dmitry "sh1ro" Sokolov emerged as the leading EVP after an exceptional playoff run for Spirit, while Adrian "xelex" Vincze, Ilya "m0NESY" Osipov, Mathieu "ZywOo" Herbaut, Andrey "tN1R" Tatarinovich and Lotan "Spinx" Giladi completed the group of EVP-level performers.

HLTV also selected its All-Stars BLAST Open Porto 2026 lineup, which combines three Spirit players — donk, sh1ro and Boris "magixx" Vorobiev — with Spinx and Nikita "HeavyGod" Martynenko.

 

Quick Summary

Category	BLAST Open Porto 2026
Champion	Spirit
Runner-up	MOUZ
Grand final	Spirit 3-1 MOUZ
MVP	donk
Leading EVP	sh1ro
Other EVPs	xelex, m0NESY, ZywOo, tN1R, Spinx
All-Star IGL	magixx
All-Star lineup	magixx, sh1ro, donk, Spinx, HeavyGod
Event dates	August 26 – September 6, 2026
Teams	16
Total prize pool	$1.1 million

BLAST Open Porto ran from August 26 to September 6 with 16 teams and a combined $1.1 million prize and club-share pool. The group stage was played in Copenhagen before six surviving teams moved to Porto for the arena playoffs.

 

Who Earned an EVP at BLAST Open Porto 2026?

Team Spirit completed their BLAST Open Porto 2026 campaign with a 3-1 victory over MOUZ in the grand final.

 

The final individual hierarchy published by HLTV placed donk first overall as the tournament MVP, followed by six players who earned EVP recognition.

Rank	Player	Team	Recognition	Key context
1	donk	Spirit	MVP	Tournament's highest-ranked player
2	sh1ro	Spirit	EVP	Best playoff rating at 1.31
3	xelex	MOUZ	EVP	Breakthrough run to the grand final
4	m0NESY	Falcons	EVP	Nine maps above a 1.30 rating
5	ZywOo	Vitality	EVP	Eight standout maps during Vitality's run
6	tN1R	Spirit	EVP	Major impact during Spirit's title run
7	Spinx	MOUZ	EVP	1.46 rating in MOUZ's map victories

This ordering is particularly useful because it shows that the EVP list was not simply a ranking of players by one headline statistic. Playoff performance, opposition strength, peaks, consistency and contribution to winning maps all influenced the assessment.

sh1ro, xelex, m0NESY and ZywOo were among the six players to receive EVP recognition following BLAST Open Porto 2026.

 

sh1ro Finishes Closest to donk

No EVP came closer to taking the MVP than sh1ro.

The Spirit AWPer finished the playoffs with a 1.31 rating, the best of any player during that phase of the tournament. He also narrowly outperformed donk in rating against top-10 opposition, 1.30 to 1.27.

His strongest maps arrived when the stakes were highest. sh1ro produced important performances against Falcons on Nuke and then delivered across the opening maps of the grand final against MOUZ.

The award became sh1ro's fifth EVP of 2026, and HLTV described it as his strongest EVP performance of the year.

That distinction matters. Porto was not simply another tournament in which donk carried Spirit while everyone else followed. sh1ro was operating close enough to MVP level to give Spirit another genuine elite win condition.

xelex Delivers His Biggest Tier-One Event Yet

xelex emerged as one of Porto's biggest individual stories after helping MOUZ reach the grand final.

 

One of the most important stories behind the awards was xelex.

The MOUZ player entered the grand final as a legitimate MVP contender after averaging a 1.41 rating in MOUZ's map wins on the road to the title match.

He produced seven standout maps and delivered notable peaks against 9z, Falcons, Vitality and Spirit. Against Falcons, Vitality and Spirit combined, xelex recorded a 1.12 rating — the best mark on MOUZ against that opposition.

Porto therefore represents a significant individual milestone in his transition to tier-one Counter-Strike.

For MOUZ, the wider significance is potentially even greater: an emerging player performing at EVP level provides another source of high-end firepower alongside the team's established core.

m0NESY Remains Elite Despite Falcons Falling Short

Falcons did not reach the final, but m0NESY did more than enough individually to secure an EVP.

The AWPer recorded nine maps above a 1.30 rating, including six above 1.55. His overall event rating was 1.35, accompanied by a +4.21% round swing and 1.12 kills per round win.

Two weaker maps against MOUZ hurt his overall case, but the frequency of his elite-level performances kept him firmly among Porto's best players.

His near-1v5 attempt against Spirit was also one of the memorable individual sequences of the tournament, even though Falcons could not convert the map.

 

ZywOo Adds Another EVP-Level Tournament

ZywOo finished immediately behind m0NESY in HLTV's ordering.

Their numbers in several categories were remarkably close. ZywOo posted a 1.48 rating in map wins compared with m0NESY's 1.45, while both recorded 1.12 kills per round win. Their ratings against top-10 opposition were also nearly identical.

The principal difference was ZywOo's poor floor in Vitality's opening defeat against Inner Circle.

After that setback, however, he helped Vitality recover through the lower bracket and reach the semi-finals. His notable performances included a 1.72 rating against FURIA on Cache and a 1.82 series rating against 9z.

The result was another EVP rather than an MVP, but Porto still provided substantial evidence that ZywOo remained one of the event's decisive individual players.

 

tN1R Turns Grand Final Impact Into an EVP

tN1R saved one of his biggest performances for the championship-deciding Nuke against MOUZ.

 

Spirit's championship run also produced an EVP for tN1R.

His most important contribution arrived on the final map of the tournament.

Against MOUZ on Nuke, tN1R produced a 1.96-rated first half, helping Spirit establish control of the map that ultimately secured the championship. He also registered major individual peaks earlier in the tournament against Falcons, FURIA and G2.

It became his third EVP of 2026.

His selection illustrates an important part of EVP evaluation: tournament averages are not the only consideration. High-leverage performances against strong opponents and deep in the bracket can substantially strengthen a player's award case.

 

Spinx Completes the EVP List

The final EVP went to Spinx, who played an important role in MOUZ reaching the grand final.

The experienced lurker recorded a 1.46 rating in MOUZ's map victories and was the standout player when MOUZ eliminated Vitality in the semi-final.

He had already produced two huge group-stage peaks above the 2.00 rating mark against 9z and Inner Circle.

His grand-final performance was considerably quieter, preventing him from climbing higher in the individual hierarchy, but the body of work accumulated before the title match was enough for EVP recognition.

 

Why donk Won the MVP Instead

donk claimed his 13th career MVP award after another tournament-defining performance for Spirit in Porto.

 

The EVP discussion cannot be separated from donk's MVP award.

donk ended the group stage with a 1.62 rating and later produced several enormous playoff moments. Among them was a 2.32-rated Ancient against MOUZ.

Across the event, he recorded 0.91 kills per round and 1.25 kills per round win, while 52.4% of his rounds produced a positive round swing.

Spirit ultimately defeated MOUZ 3-1 in the grand final, winning Dust2 13-8, Ancient 13-3 and Nuke 13-6 while losing Mirage 11-13. sh1ro actually finished the final with the higher Rating 3.0 — 1.36 compared with donk's 1.28 — reinforcing just how important Spirit's supporting stars were in Porto.

For donk, Porto delivered his 13th career MVP award, according to HLTV's post-event assessment.

 

All-Stars BLAST Open Porto 2026

HLTV's All-Star selection differs from the straight individual ranking because it attempts to create a functional five-player lineup rather than simply choosing the five highest-rated performers.

The resulting team was:

Position / function	Player	Team	Selection context
IGL	magixx	Spirit	59% T-side win rate cited by HLTV
Star	donk	Spirit	Tournament MVP
AWPer	sh1ro	Spirit	Leading EVP
Closer / lurker	Spinx	MOUZ	Strongest candidate for the role
Anchor	HeavyGod	G2	Outstanding group-stage performance

HLTV selected magixx as the team's in-game leader after Spirit posted a 59% T-side win rate. donk and sh1ro then occupied two of the star positions.

This created an important roster-building constraint: with three Spirit players already selected, neither tN1R nor zont1x was included.

Spinx took the closer/lurker position, while HeavyGod earned the anchor slot ahead of players including PR, TeSeS and jL.

Why the All-Star Team Is Different From the EVP Ranking

This distinction is easy to miss.

An EVP list rewards tournament performance. An All-Star lineup also needs to make positional sense.

That explains why HeavyGod could make the All-Star five despite not receiving an EVP, while players such as m0NESY, ZywOo, xelex and tN1R were absent despite ranking higher individually.

In other words, the All-Star selection should not be interpreted as a simple top-five ranking.

 

Honorable Mentions

Several players finished close enough to warrant recognition without receiving an EVP.

zont1x posted a 1.14 playoff rating and produced three standout maps. xertioN impressed during the group stage before declining in the playoffs, while PR and torzsi followed a similar pattern.

KSCERATO finished with a strong 1.20 overall rating, but according to HLTV that number fell to 1.00 against top-30 opponents. HeavyGod was excellent during the groups before struggling in his arena quarter-final.

Among players whose teams failed to reach the arena stage, dem0n, dumau and Starry received the most consideration.

 

BLAST Open Porto 2026 Timeline

Date	Development
August 26	BLAST Open Porto group stage begins in Copenhagen
August 26–31	16-team group stage determines six playoff teams
August 31	Porto playoff bracket finalized
September 4	Arena playoffs begin
September 5	Spirit beat Falcons; MOUZ eliminate Vitality in the semi-finals
September 6	Spirit defeat MOUZ 3-1 to win BLAST Open Porto
September 6	donk receives the tournament MVP
September 7	EVP rankings and All-Star lineup published

The tournament's group stage took place in Copenhagen before the six remaining teams moved to the Super Bock Arena in Porto for the playoffs.

 

Key Details

Topic	What to know
EVP leader	sh1ro
Number of EVPs	Six
Champion represented among EVPs	Spirit — sh1ro and tN1R
Finalist represented	MOUZ — xelex and Spinx
Semi-finalists represented	Falcons — m0NESY; Vitality — ZywOo
MVP	donk
Spirit players in All-Star team	Three
Non-EVP All-Star	HeavyGod
sh1ro 2026 EVP count	Five
tN1R 2026 EVP count	Three

 

Tournament Impact

Porto strengthens the case that Spirit's current success is not dependent on a single player.

donk remained the centerpiece and won the MVP, but sh1ro finished immediately behind him in the individual hierarchy and tN1R earned another EVP. magixx then entered the All-Star lineup on the strength of his leadership role and Spirit's T-side results.

That distribution of recognition is significant because championship-level teams become harder to counter when several players can produce event-defining maps.

MOUZ also leave Porto with substantial individual positives despite losing the final.

xelex's third-place individual ranking and Spinx's EVP indicate that their route to the championship match was supported by multiple high-impact performers rather than one isolated carry.

 

Tactical and Role Impact

The All-Star construction provides another way to understand Porto.

magixx was selected for leadership rather than raw individual ranking. Spinx occupied the closer/lurker slot, while HeavyGod was selected as an anchor.

Meanwhile, donk and sh1ro supplied the lineup's primary superstar firepower.

It is therefore better viewed as a role-balanced hypothetical roster than as a conventional statistical top five.

That distinction also explains some conspicuous omissions. Putting another AWPer such as m0NESY or ZywOo into the lineup would not necessarily improve its positional balance once sh1ro had been selected.

 

Historical Award Context

Porto added another chapter to the developing individual rivalry at the top of modern Counter-Strike.

Following the event, HLTV noted that donk remained two total awards behind ZywOo while moving to within one MVP of him.

That comparison gives Porto's MVP more long-term relevance than a single tournament medal.

For sh1ro, meanwhile, a fifth EVP of 2026 reinforces his own position among the year's most consistently recognized elite performers.

The final annual significance of these awards will depend on the remainder of the 2026 season.

 

Ranking and VRS Impact

BLAST Open Porto was classified by HLTV as a ranked event, with a listed VRS weight of $1 million.

However, this article does not assign specific Valve Regional Standings point changes to individual teams because verified post-event VRS calculations are not provided in the award source.

Exact post-Porto VRS movement: TBD / verify against the next official Valve ranking update.

This distinction is important: EVP and MVP awards recognize individual performance and should not be presented as direct inputs into Valve's team ranking system.

 

What Changes Now?

For Spirit, Porto adds another major result to an already powerful 2026 campaign and further demonstrates the depth behind donk.

For sh1ro, the tournament represents his closest MVP challenge of the year according to HLTV's assessment and his fifth EVP of 2026.

For MOUZ, the loss in the grand final is softened by the individual progress visible in xelex's tournament and Spinx's return to EVP form.

For m0NESY and ZywOo, Porto adds another elite individual result without a championship. Both remained close statistically in several important categories, making their performances useful reference points when the 2026 season is evaluated later.

 

What to Watch Next

The most important question is whether Spirit can sustain this distribution of individual performance.

donk producing MVP numbers is no longer surprising. The more consequential development may be sh1ro repeatedly operating close to that level while tN1R contributes high-impact maps in championship series.

MOUZ's xelex is another player worth tracking. Porto was described by HLTV as his best tier-one event to date, so the next test is whether that level can become repeatable rather than remain a single tournament peak.

The 2026 EVP race itself is also becoming increasingly valuable as the season progresses. Future awards will provide additional evidence for end-of-year player comparisons.

 

FAQ

Who won an EVP at BLAST Open Porto 2026?

The six EVP recipients were sh1ro, xelex, m0NESY, ZywOo, tN1R and Spinx. donk ranked above them and received the tournament MVP award.

Who was the best player at BLAST Open Porto 2026?

donk was named MVP after helping Spirit win the championship. HLTV ranked sh1ro second overall and as the leading EVP.

Who made the All-Stars BLAST Open Porto 2026 lineup?

HLTV's role-based All-Star lineup consisted of magixx, sh1ro, donk, Spinx and HeavyGod.

Why wasn't m0NESY or ZywOo in the All-Star lineup?

The All-Star selection was constructed around player roles rather than simply taking the five highest-ranked individuals. sh1ro occupied the lineup alongside donk, while other positions were filled according to role-specific selections.

Who won BLAST Open Porto 2026?

Spirit defeated MOUZ 3-1 in the best-of-five grand final on September 6. Spirit won Dust2 13-8, Ancient 13-3 and Nuke 13-6; MOUZ's only map victory came on Mirage, 13-11.