Vitality Triumphs Over Spirit to Claim IEM Katowice 2025 Title
Team Vitality secured a commanding 3-0 victory over Spirit in the grand final of IEM Katowice 2025, adding another prestigious trophy to their collection. The dominant performance denied Spirit a chance to extend their impressive tournament run, which had already seen them lift the Shanghai Major and BLAST Bounty titles earlier in the season.
This victory marks Vitality’s first major championship since IEM Cologne 2024 and comes just two months after the addition of Robin “ropz” Kool to the roster. The Estonian rifler played a crucial role in the team’s success, but it was none other than Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut who led the charge with an outstanding 1.69 rating throughout the series.
For veteran in-game leader Dan “apEX” Madesclaire, this triumph holds special significance. After nearly a decade of competing at IEM Katowice, the French veteran finally lifted the trophy that had eluded him for years.
“It took time, but I’ve finally won everything,” apEX stated. “This was my best final performance in years. I wanted this so much.”
ZywOo Matches s1mple’s MVP Record
In addition to securing the title, ZywOo’s remarkable display earned him the HLTV x 1XBET Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. With this, he has now tied Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev’s record of 21 career MVP medals, further cementing his legacy among CS2’s greatest players.
Historically, Katowice had been a tough battleground for the French AWPer, with only one previous playoff appearance in six attempts. However, he erased that narrative in 2025, delivering one of the most dominant individual performances of his career. His staggering 1.42 event rating, combined with an incredible 1.69 rating in the grand final, left no doubt about his impact.
The final map on Nuke saw ZywOo reach an astonishing 2.38 rating, completely outshining Spirit’s rising star Danil “donk” Kryshkovets, who had been in the running for MVP before the grand final.
With this victory, ZywOo also draws level with s1mple in Big Event MVPs at 14, positioning himself as a top contender for another Player of the Year award.
A Disappointing Final for donk
Spirit’s young prodigy Danil “donk” Kryshkovets entered the grand final aiming for his eighth MVP medal, but it turned out to be a difficult outing for the 18-year-old sensation. Despite flashes of brilliance, including an impressive quad-kill with a Desert Eagle on Dust2, he struggled to make an impact against a well-prepared Vitality squad.
With this triumph, Vitality reaffirms its status as a top-tier CS2 powerhouse, setting the stage for an exciting year ahead. As ZywOo reaches new milestones and apEX secures his long-awaited Katowice title, the team looks poised for even greater success in 2025.