The ESL Pro League Season 21 has come to an end. Vitality are the champions, winning their second tournament in a row. They have now won 11 straight matches, including perfect runs at both this event and IEM Katowice 2025. Since Robin "ropz" Kooljoined the team, everything has been going smoothly. They look unstoppable right now.

Liquid and G2

Liquid had a great tournament in terms of organization’s strategy. They earned enough points to return as the top-ranked team in the Americas. This guarantees them a direct invite to the third stage of the Major. However, their gameplay still has many weaknesses. They play a simple style, which could cause problems in the future if not fixed in the shortest terms.

G2 also made it to the playoffs, but they have yet to beat a top team this year. They lost to The MongolZ, NAVI, and MOUZ. Their AWPer, Ilya "m0NESY" Osipov, played great, Mario "malbsMd" Samayoa also did well, but the rest of the team underperformed. Janusz "Snax" Pogorzelski has improved the team’s structure, but they are not ready to fight for trophies yet.

Eternal Fire and NAVI

Eternal Fire made the playoffs but failed to win a match. They lost to Spirit in a close game. They should have won their Nuke pick but fell short during the overtime (15:19). İsmailсan "XANTARES" Dörtkardeş and Özgür "woxic" Eker did not perform well. Only Samet "jottAAA" Köklü played at a high level, which is pretty surprising for a rookie. They need to improve their individual performances if they want to start winning trophies.

NAVI had a rough tournament. They lost to The MongolZ in the first round of the playoffs. This time, their AWPer Ihor "w0nderful" Zhdanov was not the problem. Instead, their riflers— Justinas "jL" Lekavičius, Valerii "b1t" Vakhovskyi, and Mihai "iM" Ivan —couldn’t deliver. The MongolZ played nearly perfect Counter-Strike and gave NAVI no chances. NAVI will need to improve before their next event if they want to get a direct invite to BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025.

The MongolZ Continue to Impress

The MongolZ reached the semifinals, proving their strength once again. They even took a map off Vitality for the first time in the head-to-head. This was the first time Vitality lost on Nuke since October when they were beaten by MOUZ 11:13. This marks The MongolZ’s second straight semi final appearance at a big event. They continue to improve and have a bright future ahead considering the consistency the team found in 2025.

Spirit Falls in Semifinals

Spirit struggled throughout the event. They lost to MOUZ in the semifinals and this is their third loss this year. Boris "magixx" Vorobyev had a bad series, and even Danil "donk" Kryshkovets’s strong performance wasn’t enough to carry them. MOUZ simply played better and deserved the win. This was the first time in 2025 that Spirit didn’t make a grand final, so it is still too early to judge their performance. The next event BLAST Open Spring 2025 could tell us a lot about Spirit’s current state.

MOUZ’s Unexpected Success

MOUZ was the biggest surprise of ESL Pro League Season 21. Many did not expect them to perform at such a high level after their roster changes. Yet, they made it to their second consecutive grand final in 2025. Their journey to the final proved that this team has strong potential despite lacking an experienced in-game leader.

Their path to the final was not easy. They had to go through tough opponents like G2, and Spirit. Against Spirit, MOUZ showed impressive coordination and individual skill. They managed to outplay one of the best teams of the year, even with donk in top form. The match proved that MOUZ is not just a one-event wonder.

Vitality’s Road to the Grand Slam

In the grand final, MOUZ stood no chance against Vitality. The French organization dominated and took home the trophy. This win puts Vitality in the lead for the Grand Slam. They now have three wins and need just one more to claim the $1,000,000 prize. With two more ESL events this season, they could complete the Grand Slam very soon.

What’s Next? BLAST Open Spring 2025

With ESL Pro League Season 21 now finished, the focus shifts to BLAST Open Spring 2025, the next major event on the calendar. This tournament will take place in two locations—Copenhagen, Denmark for the group stage and Lisbon, Portugal for the playoffs. 

Sixteen teams will compete for a $400,000 prize pool, with the top squads aiming to secure valuable points and momentum heading into the next phase of the season. With Vitality in dominant form, MOUZ proving their strength, and teams like Spirit, NAVI, and G2 looking to improve, this event promises high-level competition.