Nikola "NiKo" Kovač has been crowned the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025 despite his team, Falcons, finishing in second place. The star rifler put on a fantastic performance throughout the event, leading his team to their first major grand final of the year. Even though MOUZ claimed the title with a 3-1 victory, NiKo was the most consistent and dominant player at every stage of the tournament. His incredible firepower and impact on the game made him the clear choice for MVP.

NiKo’s Tournament Stats:

• Overall Rating: 7.0
• Kills per round: 0.81
• Average Damage per Round (ADR): 92
• Highest-rated performance: 7.7 (vs. FlyQuest & Eternal Fire)

NiKo played a key role in Falcons' journey to the grand final. He was a game-changer in crucial moments, tearing through defenses and showing why he remains one of the best riflers in CS2. Even though Falcons fell short in the final against MOUZ, this event proves that the Saudi-backed organization is on the right track. If they continue improving, they could become a dominant force in the future.

NiKo's Ratings in Each Match:

• vs. FlyQuest – 7.7
• vs. paiN – 6.2
• vs. Astralis – 7.5
• vs. MOUZ (Group Stage) – 6.1
• vs. Eternal Fire (Quarterfinals) – 7.7
• vs. FaZe (Semifinals) – 7.0
• vs. MOUZ (Finals) – 6.3

Exceptional Players of the Tournament (EVPs):

Apart from NiKo, several players stood out with exceptional performances at PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025. These EVPs (Exceptionally Valuable Players) played a major role in their teams' deep tournament runs.

Jonathan "EliGE" Jablonowski (FaZe) – Rating: 6.7

EliGE was one of the biggest impact players for FaZe. In his second big tournament with the team, he showed aggression and efficiency, averaging 0.161 opening kills per round and dealing 87 ADR. Although FaZe finished in fourth place, EliGE’s performance was a positive sign for the roster’s future.

David "frozen" Čerňanský (FaZe) – Rating: 6.6

Frozen also played a crucial role for FaZe. After recent roster changes, he is still adapting, but his performance at this event showed that he is finding his comfort zone. His contributions were key in FaZe’s deep tournament run.

Jakob "jabbi" Nygaard (Astralis) – Rating: 6.5

Jabbi was one of the standout players for Astralis, especially on the CT side. He had the highest impact in the third-place decider match, helping Astralis secure a strong finish and take home $150,000. His ability to deliver in crucial rounds made a big difference.

Dorian "xertioN" Berman (MOUZ) – Rating: 6.4

XertioN was MOUZ’s best performer throughout their title-winning campaign. His impact was especially noticeable in the grand final, where he recorded a 6.7 rating across four maps. His consistent playstyle and clutch moments helped MOUZ secure their first major trophy of the year.

What’s Next?

Both MOUZ and Falcons will participate in ESL Pro League Season 21. The next big tier-one event will be EPL 21 in Stockholm, running from March 1-16, with a $1,000,000 prize pool. But the teams got invited directly to the second stage of the event, which will start on March 7th.