chopper retires: Spirit's Major-winning IGL steps away
Former Team Spirit captain chopper has retired from professional CS2. His nine trophies, Vega Squadron days and farewell message, all in one place.
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Former Team Spirit captain chopper has retired from professional Counter-Strike. The 29-year-old Russian in-game leader confirmed to HLTV that he will not return as a player, closing a career of more than ten years that included a Major title and nine trophies with Spirit.
Leonid "chopper" Vishnyakov was benched by Spirit at the end of 2025 and has since worked as a streamer and community caster. On Friday, Spirit released a tribute video thanking him for his contributions to the organisation.
Who is chopper and how did his career start?
chopper first made his name with Vega Squadron. As HLTV recalls, Vega beat Ninjas in Pyjamas 16-2 on Cache at the ELEAGUE Major 2017 Main Qualifier, knocking them out and making it the first time the iconic NiP core missed a Major. That result turned him into a recognisable name almost overnight.
He joined Team Spirit in 2019 and later took over in-game leading duties. Across his career he played 40 notable LANs, 11 of them Majors. He was an IGL of the Year finalist in 2024 and missed out on that distinction in 2025 by a single point.
What did chopper win with Spirit?
His best years came at Spirit, where HLTV credits him with nine trophies, including S-tier titles:
- Perfect World Shanghai Major (2024)
- IEM Katowice 2024
- IEM Cologne 2025
- Several BLAST events
- One PGL title
| Info | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Leonid Vishnyakov |
| Age | 29 |
| Teams | Vega Squadron, Team Spirit (2019-2025) |
| Notable LANs | 40 (11 Majors) |
| Trophies with Spirit | 9 |
What did chopper say in his farewell?
In his statement to HLTV, chopper said he spent most of his competitive career at Vega Squadron and Team Spirit, and that both became much more than teams to him. He thanked Vega for helping him take his first steps in esports. At Spirit, he said, he established himself as a player, improved his media skills and reached the biggest milestones of his career.
He gave special thanks to Nikolay "Certus", who entrusted him with the IGL role, and to Sergey "hally", with whom he "learned to win together". He also thanked fans for their support through the highs and lows, ending with: "see you on the streams!"
He added that his years at Spirit gave him an inside look at the scale of the organisation, with a large team of professionals behind the scenes, each with their own responsibilities. He said he learned a lot from those colleagues and that, looking back, they had become an extremely important part of his life.
Why does chopper's retirement matter?
chopper was the caller behind the Spirit roster built around donk and sh1ro. That team won a Major and IEM Katowice in 2024, then lifted the trophy in Cologne in 2025. His decision closes the playing career of one of the most successful CIS in-game leaders of recent years, and HLTV notes he has already found success as a streamer and community broadcaster.
Why is the IGL role so important?
In Counter-Strike, the in-game leader plans each round, makes economy calls and adapts to the opponent's habits mid-match. The role often drags down individual stats, but it shapes how a team plays. chopper was known less for topping scoreboards and more for building a system in which Spirit's young stars could play freely.
The news lands in a busy week of roster moves ahead of the PGL Major Singapore. We recently covered NBK- joining Phantom as head coach, and for the latest results on stage see our reports on MOUZ beating BETBOOM and The MongolZ beating NAVI at IEM Beijing.
Frequently asked questions
Why did chopper retire?
chopper was benched by Team Spirit at the end of 2025 and moved into streaming and community casting. He confirmed to HLTV that he will not return as a player.
How many trophies did chopper win?
According to HLTV, chopper won nine trophies with Team Spirit, including the Perfect World Shanghai Major, IEM Katowice 2024 and IEM Cologne 2025.
What is chopper doing now?
He will keep streaming and doing community broadcasts. He signed off his statement by telling fans he would see them on stream.
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