The pressure of the playoffs leaves no room for mistakes. When a Major final is on the line, every round becomes a test of character, composure, and class.
Tournament context
StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 Playoffs are the decisive stage of the tournament with a prize pool of $1,170,000. Only the most consistent teams of the season remain in the playoffs, and every match directly affects the distribution of Valve Regional Standings (VRS) points and the global balance of power ahead of the season finale. The semifinals are played in a Best of 3 format: the winner advances to the grand final, while the loser is eliminated from the Major.
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How the match unfolded — Vitality vs Spirit
Score: 2:0 in favor of Vitality
- Mirage (Vitality pick) — 19:17
Spirit put up a tough fight on the opening map, consistently finding openings through the aggressive play of donk and sh1ro. However, in the key rounds Vitality looked more composed. ropz consistently won crucial duels on the site, while ZywOo repeatedly shut down Spirit’s post-plant situations. In overtime, the French-European roster closed out the map thanks to superior economy management and discipline. - Dust2 (Spirit pick) — 13:8
The second map was much more confident for Vitality. On the attack, the team quickly secured map control, forcing Spirit to play constant retakes. apEX read the opponent’s rotations well, while flameZ and mezii reliably traded frags. Spirit failed to find their rhythm after the side switch, and the match ended without overtime.
Player of the Match — Robin “ropz” Kool
The Estonian rifler became the key figure of the series, especially on Mirage, where his clutch decisions turned the tide of the map.
- K–D: 46–31
- ADR: 84.1
- Rating 3.0: 1.34
Key impact: space control in decisive rounds, consistency in late-map situations, and confident play against Spirit’s leaders. It was ropz who set the pace that Spirit ultimately could not break.
VRS results
- Vitality — +18 pt → 1944 pt (solidifying a top-2 position in the world rankings)
- Spirit — –14 pt → 1888 pt (loss of positions and elimination from the title race)
The victory significantly strengthens Vitality’s position in the fight for the top spot in the VRS, while Spirit lose their chance for a late-season ranking surge.
What’s next?
Vitality advance to the grand final of StarLadder Budapest Major 2025
The team continues its championship run and will await the winner of the second semifinal.
Spirit end their Major campaign
The semifinal marks the final stage of this tournament for the roster, despite a competitive showing on the first map.
Match summary
Vitality once again confirmed their status as a team for the biggest matches. Spirit managed to challenge them, but in the decisive moments, Vitality’s experience, structure, and individual class proved decisive. Up next is the grand final, where the French-European squad will face the ultimate test of the tournament.
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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.
