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Meet Team Vitality - The CS2 superstars
j
Anthony King
Gamer
17 Feb 2025
Posted On
The Esports scene continues to garner more praise as more fans continue to gravitate toward it. After all, what is there not to like about it? Players can band together to root for their favorite players who play their favorite games on the big stage for a chance to win it all in properly organized tournaments.
While most teams aren’t able to attract a sizable audience, the same isn’t true for Team Vitality [1]. Vitality, the team that began with CS:GO, is one of the most-known Esports organizations around. We thought why not go through the team’s history, including how it was established, what it does now, and some of its notable achievements that put it on the map?
So, without further ado, here’s the journey of Team Vitality, the CS2 Esports legends. If you want to improve your game to hopefully one day stand alongside these legends, you can always have a professional CS2 player from Eloking show you how it’s done. You can also use the code “BoostToday” for an excellent 20% discount on your order.
The Origins of Team Vitality
Team Vitality was established in October 2013 by Nicolas Maurer, Fabien "Neo" Devide, Corentin "Gotaga" Houssein, and Kevin "Shaunz". The organization started by building its reputation in several esports titles, such as FIFA and Call of Duty. It was much later that Vitality made a name in Counter-Strike, especially in 2018, when they entered CS:GO.
Team Vitality's entry in CS:GO
Vitality joined the Counter-Strike scene in October 2018, boldly planning to create a "French super team." The team has seen many roster changes but found its core in 2018, which included a strong foundation of French players and international talent.
Naturally, the organization has gone through its ups and downs, but most would argue that the team was at the peak of its career back when it played CS:GO.
Early Struggles and Breakthroughs
In their first games of CS:GO, the team played qualifiers in DreamHack Open Atlanta 2018. The team failed to qualify thrice for IEM Katowice 2018, and losing the coach in November 2018 was one more challenge to be faced by them. At the end of the year, though, the team started improving.
The team made it past the group stage in their first small tournament appearance and showed potential. More importantly, they secured a big win in the WePlay! Invitational 2018 open qualifier, which boosted the team's confidence.
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The Current Team Vitality Roster
Dan “apEX” Madesclaire: a veteran of the French CS:GO scene, apEX is the in-game leader of the team; his experience and leadership have led the team to many key victories
Robin "Ropz" Kool: Ropz, renowned for his technical prowess, consistency, and precision, has played in 10 majors and won the PGL Major Antwerp 2022 bringing loads of experience to the table. He joined Vitality in January 2025- making him the latest addition to the team.
Lotan "FlameZ" Shalom: Known for his aggression and consistency. FlameZ joined the team in 2024. His excellent aim and intense entry fragging strategy fit seamlessly in Vitality's playstyle which revolves around taking control of the map early on.
David "Mezzi" Mella: One of the 2018 veterans, Mezzi brings a sea of experience and individual skill, known for his sharp aim and versatility. Mezzi can adapt and take on almost any role that is required.
Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut The French legend became Vitality's stand-out player with his incredible mechanical skill, game sense, and ability to carry the team in crucial moments. he is the team's main AWPer- also known as one of the top CS:GO players.
Team Vitality’s style is aggressive and fast-paced, utilizing early map control and individual brilliance. They combine ZywOo’s star power with solid team coordination and flexible roles; and possess a high clutch potential with players like FlameZ and ropz who remain calm under pressure. Team Vitality has a strong tactical foundation to compete at the highest level, making them dangerous in the current CS:GO landscape.
Notable past Team Vitality roster changes
Kévin "Misutaaa" Rabier played a vital role in Team Vitality from 2020 to 2022, infusing the team with youthful energy during a crucial period of rebuilding.
Jayson "Kyojin" Nguyen Van, who was with the team before leaving in 2022, showed promise, but the organization opted for a more tactical depth, which led to his departure.
Emil "Magisk" Reif and Peter "dupreeh" Rasmussen were key figures during Vitality's transition into the international scene, significantly contributing to their 2023 Major victory in Paris.
Lotan "Spinx" Giladi joined in 2022, offering versatility and strategic depth that enhanced the team’s overall approach. However, at the start of 2025, Spinx was moved to the inactive roster.
Notable Achievements from the CS:GO Era
Since you know what Team Vitality does know, how about going through some of the organization’s most notable achievements from the CS:GO era?
1. First big win: DreamHack Open Atlanta 2018
The team had a breakthrough moment when they won DreamHack Open Atlanta 2018 in November 2018. A perfect 2-0 victory against the Brazilian team Luminosity Gaming was all it took to seal their first major win as an organization. The prize for this victory was $50,000; the victory exposed this promising team to the esports world as a potentially serious threat in CS:GO.
2. Esports Championship Series Season 7: 2019
Vitality won their first international title at the Esports Championship Series Season 7 in 2019. The win marked a turning point for the organization as it proved that they were capable of competing with the best of the Counter-Strike scene on a global level.
3. EPICENTER 2019
Vitality continued its string of excellent individual and team performances to claim another prestigious victory at EPICENTER 2019. The victory further enhanced their reputation as one of the leading teams in the CS:GO competitive circuit.
4. BLAST Premier: Fall 2020
Team Vitality won BLAST Premier: Fall 2020 by defeating Astralis 2-0 in the final. ZywOo was the most dominant player in the tournament, with strong leadership from apEX and solid team coordination solidifying their position as a top CS:GO team.
5. ESL Pro League Season 16
Team Vitality won ESL Pro League Season 16 in 2022, marking a major achievement in their CS:GO history. They defeated one of the greatest teams, Natus Vincere, in the grand final, taking the series 3-0 in dominating fashion with Zywoo shining throughout.
Vitality’s first Major CS2 victory: BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023
2023 proved to be a pivotal year for Team Vitality. Their season kicked off with a win at BLAST Premier Spring Groups 2023, but they faced challenges in subsequent tournaments like IEM Katowice and ESL Pro League 17. Despite this, Vitality showcased their resilience at IEM Rio, where they fought through the lower bracket and ultimately triumphed over Heroic 2-0 in the final.
The team then set their sights on the final CS:GO Major — Paris Major, where they solidified their reputation as the top team by defeating GamerLegion 2-0 in the final. This victory propelled them to the top of the HLTV rankings and allowed them to bounce back after a tough 2022. ZywOo also earned his fifteenth MVP medal, reinforcing his status as a dominant figure in the competitive scene.
Team Vitality's transition to CS2
With the launch of Counter-Strike 2, Vitality has seamlessly made the transition while preserving its competitive strength. The addition of younger players like FlameZ and Mezii has kept the team fresh and versatile, enabling them to adjust to the new gameplay mechanics.
At events like IEM Cologne 2024, the team’s unity and natural talent have proven to be just as effective in the CS2 era, setting them up for sustained success in the future. Not to forget, the team also beat Team Spirit to be the IEM Katowice 2025 winner.
FAQs
Why is Team Vitality so popular?
There are a couple of reasons Team Vitality is so popular. While it’s been around in the Counter-Strike and Dota community for years now, the reason so many fans like watching and following Vitality is how seamless and organized everything feels when the team is playing. Individual players band together to form a team, and Team Vitality has multiple personalities that have the potential to garner a huge audience thanks to their skills and characters.
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