ZywOo Makes CS History With Third Major MVP at StarLadder Budapest 2025

Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut has cemented his place in Counter-Strike history by winning the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 MVP, becoming the first player ever to earn three Major MVP awards.

The Vitality superstar delivered another elite-level performance as his team defeated FaZe Clan 3–1 in the grand final, securing Vitality’s second Major title of 2025 and further strengthening ZywOo’s case as the best player of the CS2 era.

ZywOo Sets an Unprecedented Major MVP Record

With his Budapest MVP medal, ZywOo now stands alone:

🏆 3× Major MVP (record)

🏆 2 Major MVPs in a single calendar year (first since coldzera in 2016)

🏆 8 MVP awards in 2025, tying s1mple’s legendary 2021 season

🏆 Most Big Event MVPs in a single year (new all-time record)

These achievements move ZywOo beyond historical benchmarks previously held by players such as device, s1mple, and cOldzera, redefining individual dominance in modern Counter-Strike.

A Close MVP Race in the Budapest Final

Unlike some previous MVP selections, the Budapest Major race was exceptionally competitive.

Robin “ropz” Kool produced one of the most dominant maps in Major final history on Overpass, posting a 2.89 rating

William “mezii” Merriman also delivered consistent high-impact performances throughout the playoffs

HLTV ultimately awarded the MVP to ZywOo after evaluating overall impact, consistency, and round-winning contribution, where the French AWPer narrowly edged his rivals.

Vitality Win Historic Best-of-Five Major Final

The Budapest Major marked the first-ever best-of-five grand final in Major history.

After losing Nuke, Vitality responded with controlled victories on Dust2, Inferno, and Overpass, closing the series 3–1 and confirming their dominance throughout the tournament.

Vitality captain Dan “apEX” Madesclaire put the team’s achievements into historical context:

“The best team of all time used to be Astralis… We did nine trophies, but two Majors. I don’t know who’s better.”

ZywOo: “When We Play Like This, No One Can Challenge Us”

Speaking after the final, ZywOo struggled to put the moment into words:

“I have no words to describe this feeling… back-to-back Majors, it’s an incredible moment for us.”

He also emphasized Vitality’s current level:

“When Vitality are playing like this, no one can challenge us.”

Reactions From the CS Scene

ropz after the final:

“I’m speechless, really tired… a lot of stress.”

karrigan, reflecting on FaZe’s run:

“People have told me to retire for seven years… but I’m going to fight on until they put me on the bench.”

karrigan on X:

“Worst year of my career, but we went all the way to the Major final. Proud of my team.”

flameZ, ahead of the final:

“Closing this year with the Major would be the cherry on top of the cake.”

FalleN, congratulating Vitality:

“Congrats year of Team Vitality with 2 Majors. Quite special.”

What This Means for the CS2 GOAT Debate

With three Major MVPs, eight MVP medals in a single year, and multiple back-to-back Major titles, ZywOo has shifted the all-time discussion.

While the GOAT debate will continue, no player in Counter-Strike history has combined individual awards and team success at this scale within a single season.