Team Vitality: The Dominant Force of CS2 in 2023
A summary of Team Vitality’s achievements in CS2 in 2023, including their victories in four major tournaments, their roster changes, and their star player ZywOo.
Team Vitality, the French esports organization, has been the undisputed champion of Counter-Strike 2 in 2023, winning four major tournaments and reaching the top spot in both HLTV and ESL rankings. The team, led by the legendary duo of Dan “apEX” Madesclaire and Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut, has shown remarkable consistency, adaptability, and teamwork throughout the year, overcoming various challenges and rivals.
The year started with a bang for Team Vitality, as they won the IEM Rio 2023 in April, defeating Heroic in the grand final. The team displayed their dominance on all maps, especially on Dust II.
In March, Team Vitality continued their winning streak by claiming the BLAST tv Paris CS:GO Major, the first major of the year. The team breezed through the group stage, dropping only one map to NAVI. In the playoffs, they faced off against Into the Breach, Apeks, and GamerLegion in the Grand Final, winning all series 2-0. ZywOo was once again the MVP, with a 1.38 rating and 94.4 ADR3.
The team’s success did not stop there, as they also won the BLAST Premier: Spring Groups 2023 in January, and the BLAST Premier: Fall Groups 2023 in July. ZywOo was the MVP of both tournaments, with a 1.41 rating and 98.7 ADR in the spring, and a 1.45 rating and 102.3 ADR in the fall.
The only major setback for Team Vitality in 2023 was their loss to FaZe Clan in the IEM Katowice 2023, where they finished last after losing the lower bracket quarterfinals. The team admitted that they were not well prepared for the new map pool, and that FaZe Clan played better on the day. However, they quickly bounced back and showed their resilience by winning the next tournament, the BLAST Premier: Fall Groups 2023.
The team also made some roster changes in 2023, benching Peter “dupreeh” Rasmussen and signing Shahar “flameZ” Shushan in June, and then benching Emil “Magisk” Reif and signing William “mezii” Merriman in November. The team said that these changes were made to improve their performance on CS2, and to bring fresh talent and energy to the team. Both flameZ and mezii have proven to be valuable additions, as they have integrated well with the team and shown great potential and skill.
Team Vitality’s achievements in 2023 have been remarkable, and they have established themselves as the best CS2 team in the world. The team has a balanced and versatile roster, with apEX as the in-game leader and entry fragger, ZywOo as the star AWPer and rifler, misutaaa as the support and lurker, flameZ as the aggressive rifler and secondary AWPer, and mezii as the clutch and anchor player. The team also has a strong coaching staff, with Rémy “XTQZZZ” Quoniam as the head coach and Matthieu “MaT” Péché as the assistant coach. The team has a solid game plan, a deep map pool, and a high level of communication and coordination. The team also has a loyal and passionate fan base, who support them in every match and event.
Team Vitality has set the bar high for CS2 in 2023, and they have even managed to end the year on a high note by winning the BLAST Premier: World Final 2023 in December, where they have faced the best teams from around the world. The team is confident and motivated, and they are ready to face any challenge next year. Team Vitality is the dominant force of CS2 in 2023, and they are not planning to slow down anytime soon.