Team Vitality has added another title to their collection by winning the BLAST Open Spring 2025 in Lisbon. They beat MOUZ in the grand final with a 3-2 score and took home $150,000. While the win itself was impressive, this event gave the team something even more important — a lesson about pressure, overconfidence, and adapting to tough opponents.

Spirit challenge

Vitality looked unstoppable early in the tournament. They crushed Astralis, Virtus.pro, and MOUZ in the group stage, all with 2-0 score lines. This performance earned them a direct spot in the semifinals.

In the semifinals, however, they faced Spirit, their main opponent at tier-1 nowadays. Vitality came in strong, winning Anubis 13-6, but then they lost heavily on their own pick, Nuke, with a 13-5 score.

The final map, Mirage, started badly for Vitality. They went down 0-3 early, but a huge 1v3 clutch by Robin "ropz" Kool helped bring them back. After that, they tightened up their play and finally beat Spirit 13-10, ending their long losing streak. This was a huge mental win for the team.

Shaken in the final vs MOUZ

The grand final against MOUZ started in unbelievable fashion. Vitality won Inferno 13-0, making it the first-ever 13-0 map win in a grand final of a big CS tournament. But that dominant start was misleading.

MOUZ came back strong, winning the next two maps. Both were close, but Vitality lost their focus, and MOUZ punished them for every mistake. This was a big surprise, especially since MOUZ hadn’t won a map against Vitality since October 2024.

Thankfully, BO5 rules gave both teams a 30-minute break after the third map. Vitality used this time well. They came back focused, won Nuke 13-7, and closed the series on Train 13-7, winning the final 3-2.

Lesson learned: You’re not untouchable

Even though Vitality won, they now know they can’t relax. The team learned one of the most important lessons at this event — they are not untouchable. Being the best team in the world means that everyone is preparing for you. Opponents take them seriously, especially in the finals. Every team wants to be the one that ends Vitality’s domination and proves they can be beaten.

That’s why Vitality must always stay one step ahead, constantly changing and surprising their opponents. If they play the same way every time, teams will catch up. This tournament proved it — even with a 13-0 lead, the game can quickly turn around if you lose focus or let pressure get to you.

But the key moment was how Vitality responded. They turned things around twice during the event, when the games were slipping away from them. That ability to recover is what makes champions. And that experience will be extremely valuable in the future, especially with the Grand Slam within reach.

This event reminded them that staying on top takes more than just skill — it takes constant growth, focus, and respect for the challenge every opponent brings.

ZywOo and the golden goal

Vitality now has 16 wins in a row. That’s close to breaking historical records. They’re also one ESL tournament away from winning the Grand Slam Season 5, which brings $1,000,000 in gold bars.

The next chances?

• IEM Melbourne 2025 (April 21)
• IEM Dallas 2025 (May 19)

If Vitality wins either, they’ll become the fifth team in CS history to win a Grand Slam.

Star player Mathieu "ZywOo" Herbaut is shining bright. He already has three MVPs in 2025, and his performance is on another level. His consistency and dominance are a big reason Vitality are title favorites.

apEX steps up, team chemistry grows

Another big reason for Vitality’s success is captain Dan "apEX" Madesclaire. Often loud and emotional, apEX has matured into a strong in-game leader. His leadership during tough moments — especially the comeback vs Spirit and recovery vs MOUZ — was critical.

The team also seems to be clicking perfectly. With ropz joining the squad, the synergy is getting better every match. Each player knows their role, and everyone is stepping up when it matters.

This win was more than just a trophy

Yes, Vitality won another title. Yes, they earned $150,000. But more than anything, they got the reminder every great team needs: stay hungry, stay sharp, and never underestimate anyone.

The path to the Grand Slam is almost complete. But if Vitality want to dominate all of 2025, they’ll need to carry this lesson with them to every tournament, every map, every round.