donk Becomes the Only Player With Two Nominations for HLTV Highlight of the Year 2025

Danil “donk” Kryshkovets has made history at the HLTV Awards 2025, becoming the only player nominated twice for Highlight of the Year. HLTV revealed the full list of ten nominees as part of its annual awards rollout for the 2025 Counter-Strike 2 season.

The young star’s two highlights — a 1v5 clutch against Vitality and a 1v4 clutch versus Astralis — stood out among dozens of elite CS2 moments throughout the year, underlining his reputation as one of the most explosive riflers in the world.

HLTV Highlight of the Year 2025: Full Nominee List

HLTV confirmed the following ten nominees for the Highlight of the Year award:

donk — 1v5 clutch vs Vitality

donk — 1v4 clutch vs Astralis

ropz — lightning-fast ace vs 3DMAX

Twistzz — 4K clutch (1v3) vs NAVI

w0nderful — 1v4 clutch vs The MongolZ

JamYoung — Deagle 4K vs MIBR

Maka — “one-tap” sequence vs NAVI

xKacpersky — 4K vs NAVI

z4kr — 1v5 clutch vs paiN

zweih — ace vs Falcons

Among all nominees, donk is the only player featured twice, making him the clear statistical outlier in this year’s highlight category.

Why donk’s Double Nomination Matters

A single Highlight of the Year nomination already places a player among the most memorable performers of the season. Receiving two nominations in the same year is extremely rare and emphasizes both mechanical dominance and high-pressure consistency.

The 1v5 against Vitality is widely regarded as one of the hardest types of rounds to convert in CS2, especially against a top-tier roster. His 1v4 clutch versus Astralis further reinforced his reputation for thriving against elite opposition.

In an earlier HLTV interview discussing matches against Astralis, donk admitted that these encounters carry extra motivation:

“Every matchup that I am facing Astralis… it’s always personal for me.”

This mindset was clearly reflected in the nominated highlight.

Player Reactions and Community Buzz

Donk’s performances have also drawn reactions from opponents. Vitality rifler flameZ previously commented on the difficulty of playing against him, jokingly summarizing the situation:

“If we lose to donk, it’s donk; if we lose to anyone else, we’re five bots.”

The quote quickly spread across the CS2 community and became symbolic of donk’s impact on top teams throughout the season.

HLTV Awards 2025: Dates and Voting Format

HLTV has officially confirmed the timeline for the awards:

Top 3 finalists for Highlight of the Year will be announced on December 28, 2025

Winners will be revealed at the HLTV Awards ceremony on January 10, 2026

The event will take place in Belgrade, Serbia

Highlight of the Year is decided as part of the Panel Awards, which are voted on by an expert panel selected by HLTV.

donk and the Bigger Picture at HLTV Awards 2025

Beyond highlights, donk remains one of the most talked-about players of the year. In a translated public statement shared via HLTV, he reflected on the pressure of success:

“Being a winner is a curse. You are not a winner until you win again and again and again.”

With two Highlight of the Year nominations and growing recognition across the scene, donk enters the HLTV Awards 2025 as one of the central figures of the CS2 season.