Team Vitality have secured the ESL Grand Slam and cemented themselves as the best Counter-Strike 2 team in the world right now, following their latest victory at Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Melbourne.
This marks their 21st straight win of the year, adding to a dominant run that includes titles at IEM Katowice 2025, ESL Pro League Season 21, and BLAST Open Spring 2025.
By winning their fourth ESL tournament in less than a year, the club has gained legendary status, becoming the fifth team in the game to win the ESL Grand Slam (after FaZe, NAVI, Team Liquid, and Astralis). To celebrate this historic moment for the club, Team Vitality is partnering with the brand DearBBall to launch a capsule collection of exclusive products.
The team not only secured the IEM Melbourne title but also won the prestigious ESL Grand Slam, a monumental achievement for the organisation.
The ESL Grand Slam awards $1m to the first roster that wins four top-tier ESL events during a window of 10 consecutive events.
THE HIVE MAKES HISTORY: TEAM VITALITY REIGNS SUPREME AS BRIT KING MEZII SHINES
Entering the tournament as the top-ranked CS2 team in the world, Team Vitality once again proved its exceptional talent. The roster, including captain Dan “apEX” Madesclaire, Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut, Shahar “flameZ” Shushan, William “mezii” Merriman, and Robin “ropz” Kool, demonstrated synergy and world-class skills throughout the tournament, concluding in a decisive victory in the Grand Finals against Team Falcons.
The team not only secured the IEM Melbourne title but of course also won the prestigious ESL Grand Slam, a monumental achievement for the organisation.
UK star mezii is going from strength to strength, and has been recognised for his achievements in UK esports.
Wtf just happened🤯
ESL GRAND SLAM SECURED🏆
IEM MELBOURNE CHAMPIONS🏆#VForVictory
— MEZII’ (@kingmezii) April 27, 2025
🇬🇧 UK CS HAS WON A F*CKING GRAND SLAM!!!!!
👑@kingmezii pic.twitter.com/eevVB1I5sk
— 🇬🇧 UKCSGO (@ukcsgo) April 27, 2025
BREAKING:
After winning $125,000 in the ESL Grand Slam, William “mezii” Merriman cements his place as the richest man in Birmingham. pic.twitter.com/dLPHmoPaTl
— index (@indexCS) April 27, 2025
In the Semi-Finals at IEM Melbourne, Team Vitality delivered a top performance against Team MongolZ, setting the tone for an electric Grand Final performance against Team Falcons.
After a 3-2 win in the Grand Final, which included a triple-overtime decider on the final map, Nuke, Mathieu ‘ZywOo’ Herbaut was named tournament MVP thanks to a series of impressive performances and a decisive presence throughout the tournament.
TEAM VITALITY AT THE TOP OF THEIR GAME ON COUNTER–STRIKE 2
The club’s dominance in CS2, highlighted by an ESL Grand Slam victory and an extraordinary 21-game winning streak, confirms their status as a top side.
This triumph also represents a career-defining moment for several players, starting with captain Dan “apEX” Madesclaire, who captures the final major title missing from his storied record (adding the Grand Slam to his two Majors, Katowice, and Cologne victories). Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut continues his ascent, solidifying his position as the most decorated player in CS history with a 24th MVP title earned during this tournament. Together, apEX and ZywOo become the first two French players ever to win an ESL Grand Slam, a historic achievement for these two icons of the Parisian club.
Fabien “Neo” Devide, President and co-founder of Team Vitality, said: “This is a historic moment for Team Vitality as we become the fifth club in history to win the ESL Grand Slam. We are now part of a legendary club that has left its mark on the history of the game. After more than six hours of play, I’m proud of the mentality and the incredible display from this team. To see them achieve such greatness makes me feel so proud.”
CELEBRATING IN STYLE: A CAPSULE COLLECTION WITH DEARBBALL TO CELEBRATE THE EVENT
To celebrate their Grand Slam victory, Team Vitality and basketball brand DearBBall are launching an exclusive capsule collection. This limited-edition drop pays tribute to the five players on the roster, highlighting their unique personalities, strengths, and lifestyles.
For each player, the collection features a dedicated hoodie, sweatshirt, and t-shirt, available in black or white, each piece accompanied by a personalized description. A historic collaboration and a must-have for fans – available in limited quantities!
The collection is available now on the official DearBBall website
Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.
