Major finals leave no room for randomness. Cold nerves, map pool depth, and the ability to close a series without mistakes decide everything.
Tournament context
StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 Playoffs are the decisive stage of the tournament with a $1,170,000 prize pool and crucial Valve Regional Standings points.
The grand final was played in a Best of 5 format: the champion claims the Major title, $500,000, and a strategic advantage in the global rankings, while the finalist takes second place and a significantly smaller VRS bonus.
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How the match unfolded — Vitality vs FaZe
Series score: 3:1 in favor of Vitality
- Nuke (FaZe pick) — 13:6 FaZe
FaZe started the final aggressively and fully controlled the pace. frozen and broky won the opening duels, while Vitality failed to impose their game on the T side. - Dust2 (Vitality pick) — 13:3 Vitality
A swift response from the champions. Vitality dominated from the opening rounds, ZywOo and mezii crushed the opponent’s economy, and FaZe were effectively out of the game before the side switch. - Inferno (Vitality pick) — 13:9 Vitality
The most intense map of the series. FaZe stayed competitive until the middle of the second half, but crucial retakes from ropz and flameZ’s consistency in late rounds tipped the balance. - Overpass (Vitality pick) — 13:2 Vitality
A one-sided finish. Vitality completely shut down the map, winning the majority of opening duels. FaZe found no answers on either side.
Player of the Match — William “mezii” Merriman
mezii became the symbol of consistency in the final and a key factor behind Vitality’s dominance.
- K–D: 54–33
- ADR: 79.2
- Rating 3.0: 1.41
Key impact: tempo control, consistent entry frags, and confident play in the decisive rounds of the third and fourth maps.
VRS results
- Vitality — +12 pt → 1967 pt
- FaZe — –8 pt → 1773 pt
Vitality strengthen their position in the world top 2 and cement their status as the dominant force of the season. FaZe, despite reaching the final, lose part of their ranking buffer.
Match summary
Vitality confidently closed the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 grand final, dropping only the opening map and fully controlling the rest of the series. FaZe managed to put up resistance only in fragments, but Vitality’s class, roster depth, and discipline proved decisive. The Major ends with a deserved championship for the team that looked the most consistent throughout the tournament.
Vitality’s path through the playoffs and Stage 3 group stage
During Stage 3, Vitality finished the Swiss stage with a 3:1 record. The team confidently defeated B8, 3DMAX, and Natus Vincere, losing only to FaZe in the opening match. This result allowed the French lineup to enter the playoffs without having to play additional elimination matches.
- Quarter-finals
Vitality — The MongolZ 2:0
The French side had no trouble dealing with the opponent’s aggressive style, completely outplaying them in the mid-rounds.
- Semi-finals
Vitality — Spirit 2:0
One of the most anticipated playoff matches. Spirit were unable to stop Vitality’s disciplined play, while ZywOo and ropz won the majority of key duels.
- Grand final
Vitality — FaZe 3:1
Control, map pool depth, and big-match experience proved decisive.
Key players of the tournament for Vitality
- Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut
The most consistent player on the team throughout the tournament, delivering top-tier ADR and KAST numbers in the playoffs. - Robin “ropz” Kool
The foundation of the team’s gameplay. Tempo control, anchor positions, and crucial multi-kill rounds. - William “mezii” Merriman
The breakout performer for Vitality in the playoffs. He was the one who made the difference in the decisive series.
MVP of the tournament — Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut
The main individual award of StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 rightfully went to ZywOo. The French star was the most consistent player of the tournament, maintaining an elite level at every stage — from the group phase to the grand final.
BACK-TO-BACK MAJOR CHAMPIONS!!!
What an amazing year with this team, thank you all for your support. pic.twitter.com/MdBswddvEF
— ZywOo (@zywoo) December 14, 2025
Key impact: constant superiority in opening duels, control of clutch situations, and the highest average rating among all playoff participants. Vitality’s overall stability throughout the Major was built around ZywOo.
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Skin.Club Pick’em Challenge
Running alongside the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 is the Skin.Club Pick’em Challenge — an interactive feature where fans predict match results, choose advancing teams, and earn points throughout the tournament. By making accurate picks, participants unlock rewards ranging from premium skins to rare gloves and knives, with the ultimate prize being the iconic AWP | Dragon Lore.
