donk on POTY award: "It should be the one who shows stable results throughout the year; I failed at two events"

"Even if I'm the top 150 player in the world, if my team wins, I will be happy," the Russian prodigy said.

Spirit star Danil "⁠donk⁠" Kryshkovets was over the moon after helping his team win the Perfect World Shanghai Major and admitted revenge was on his mind heading into the match against FaZe.

The 17-year-old led Spirit to a 2-1 victory in the grand final with a series-high 1.67 rating. That performance capped off a fantastic tournament in which donk was a dominant force for Spirit, averaging a 1.49 rating and over 100 damage per round.

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donk becomes youngest and highest-rated Major MVP in Shanghai

Speaking to HLTV after the final, donk said he "did not care" that today's final was a rematch of the IEM Katowice decider, the tournament that put Spirit's name on everyone's lips. "I cared more about us playing against them in the quarter-final of the Major and losing that time," he said. "And I wanted to take revenge for that Major."

donk's spectacular form at the Major strengthens his case for the Player of the Year award at the 2024 HLTV Awards. Questioned about whether he's worthy of the accolade, donk said he isn't sure. "The best player should be the one who shows stable results throughout the entire year. I, because of some inexperience and lack of playing at the top level, let myself drop statistically and morally, which is why I failed at two events."

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donk, congratulations, you're a Major champion. The youngest Major MVP, tell me how that feels.

It feels incredible. It doesn't matter that I'm the youngest and so on, it has no meaning at all. The fact that our team won the Major is a crazy result, it's crazy good. We will remain in the history of not just CS2, but of all Counter-Strike. And I can't describe my emotions and feelings now, but I'm very glad for the guys since they have been going for this for so long compared to me or Myroslav [zont1x], I'm incredibly happy for them.

Basically, the Major win matters to me because it matters to the guys. And of course, it was a dream of mine.

It wasn't just the effort from you this time, magixx had a lot of impactful rounds. It ended up being a phenomenal grand final from him. How important was it for you to see that kind of support in such a good game, to step up alongside you?

Everyone in this BO3 was making an impact because foremost it is the team that wins, not personalities. And all the guys were making an impact in different ways. For example, Lyonya's [chopper's] impact is not traceable by frags or damage, because only we [inside the team] can measure it. The same goes for all the other guys, each of them at a different moment helped our team win. Because our team is like a mechanism.

Speaking of Boris [magixx], he played incredibly well in the entire playoffs. I'm very happy for him and to see such a performance from him, because I know what this man is capable of. We play with him a lot, and I understand his stronger sides. Finally, he started showing them, and he showed what he was capable of.

You started the year with this match in the grand final against FaZe in Katowice, you ended the year with a match against FaZe in the grand final of the Major. How does it feel coming into this, knowing that you started the year like that and you're ending the year like this? Did you feel more confident because you had beaten them in a similar environment before?

I absolutely did not care that we played against FaZe at the start of the year. What was in Katowice stays in Katowice, it was the start of the year, and a lot of time had passed; it makes no difference. I cared more about us playing against them in the quarter-final of the Major and losing that time. And I wanted to take revenge for that Major.

One of the big conversations coming into this Major was the battle for the top 1 player in the world. I know that you said a few times that it's a team game, but even with that, there's a competition for who's the best player, and it's between you, ZywOo, and m0NESY. And Spring Final, you said that m0NESY had the highest chance for top 1 in an interview with us. How do you feel about that now?

I don't have the slightest idea who will be top 1. I don't care at all. Ilya [m0NESY] played well the entire year, so why not give him top 1? I don't know, overall, it makes no difference to me who takes top 1, whether it's me or any other player. What matters is just my team winning. Even if I'm the top 150 player in the world, if my team wins, I will be happy.

Do you think you have made your case to be top 1 this year?

Yes and no. The best player should be the one who shows stable results throughout the entire year. I, because of some inexperience and lack of playing at the top level, let myself drop statistically and morally, which is why I failed at two events. But honestly, it's their choice, I don't know whether I deserve it or not. It's up to the higher-ups to decide and not me.