Star player of G2's Counter-Strike 2 team, Ilya "m0NESY" Osipov, has been ranked 17th on Forbes’ list of the most valuable personal brands among active Russian athletes. The article published on the magazine’s official website highlighted Osipov’s impressive social media presence, boasting 2.4 million followers, along with his consistent streaming and victories at major tournaments. Forbes remarked that Osipov's popularity level surpasses 99% of footballers, hockey players, and MMA fighters.
The ranking considered only active athletes from Russia who have competed in official tournaments over the past 12 months in sports recognised by the Russian Ministry of Sport. The longlist was created by the rating's editors and featured 303 athletes from 23 sports. Each individual was assessed based on social media popularity, media presence, and an expert evaluation of the athlete’s brand marketing appeal.
Currently, Osipov's team, G2, is competing in one of the major Counter-Strike 2 tournaments of 2024: BLAST Premier World Final 2024. G2 secured a win against Team Spirit, guaranteeing themselves at least a fourth-place finish in the event.