EVPs and All-Stars Named for IEM Chengdu 2025

EVPs and All-Stars Named for IEM Chengdu 2025

FURIA and Vitality shared the spotlight after a dramatic grand final in Chengdu, as HLTV announced the Exceptional Valuable Players (EVPs) and the All-Star roster for the tournament. Rising FURIA AWPer Danil “molodoy” Golubenko earned the MVP award, marking his second such title in his rookie year and solidifying his breakout status on the international stage.

MVP

Danil “molodoy” Golubenko (FURIA) — Captured his second MVP medal of 2025 after FISSURE Playground 2, anchoring FURIA’s dominant 3-0 sweep over Vitality in the final.

EVPs

Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut (Vitality) — Delivered another world-class showing with a 1.52 rating in map wins and was narrowly edged out for MVP honors.

Shahar “flameZ” Shushan (Vitality) — A relentless entry force, contributing an 11.1% Swing Added and attempting openings in 28% of rounds.

Kaike “KSCERATO” Cerato (FURIA) — Set the early tone with standout group stage performances against G2 and MOUZ before stabilizing in playoffs.

Mareks “YEKINDAR” Gaļinskis (FURIA) — Peaked during playoffs with a 1.30 rating and finished as the highest-rated player in the grand final.

Yuri “yuurih” Santos (FURIA) — Maintained exceptional consistency, posting the best playoff rating (1.28) across semifinals and the final.

Dorian “xertioN” Berman (MOUZ) — Answered critics with a strong playoff run, highlighted by a decisive Inferno performance in the quarterfinals.

Robin “ropz” Kool (Vitality) — A model of reliability throughout the event, earning his first EVP of the year despite a quiet showing in the final.

Notable Omission

Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov (Falcons) — Posted a staggering 1.59 group-stage rating but fell short in the semifinals against FURIA, narrowly missing EVP recognition.

All-Star Team (by role)

IGL: Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo (FURIA) — The architect behind FURIA’s 60% T-side win rate and composure in key moments.
MVP slot: Danil “molodoy” Golubenko (FURIA).
Anchor: Yuri “yuurih” Santos (FURIA).
Opener: Shahar “flameZ” Shushan (Vitality) — Edged YEKINDAR and xertioN for the role.
Closer: Robin “ropz” Kool (Vitality) — Selected over KSCERATO due to team composition limits.

How the Final Was Won

FURIA sealed the championship with victories on Ancient, Inferno, and Overpass, sweeping Vitality 3-0.
Molodoy and YEKINDAR led the fragging charts, while FalleN’s clutch calls and yuurih’s multi-kill rounds helped swing critical momentum. Analysts criticized Vitality’s veto decision—leaving Ancient open—as “overcooked,” a move that played directly into FURIA’s strengths.

Player Reactions

molodoy (FURIA):
“I’m very happy because it’s my first big tournament win. It’s good if I take Rookie of the Year, but first I want to win trophies.”

FalleN (FURIA):
“You’ve got to respect them, but at the same time have the confidence to shut them down—if you respect them too much, they’re just going to beat you.”

YEKINDAR (FURIA):
“We didn’t even think about not reaching semis at least. Our goal right now is to win events and win higher-calibre events.”

flameZ (Vitality):
“The day that I won’t feel nervous or stressed in a final, I will probably be too old to remember my name.”

Event Context

FURIA’s championship run in Chengdu marked their first big LAN title of 2025 and the second major trophy for the new roster built around FalleN, YEKINDAR, and molodoy.
Vitality’s deep run—driven by ZywOo’s heroics—highlighted their resilience but also reignited debates around their map pool and reliance on individual brilliance.

For FURIA, this victory cements their place among the elite heading into the next IEM and BLAST events, with molodoy quickly emerging as one of the scene’s brightest new stars.