A new intrigue is forming in the world of CS: Vitality’s French sniper may match the legendary achievement of the Ukrainian player that has stood for four years.
INFORMATION ABOUT ZYWOO
Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut is a 24-year-old player from France who has represented Vitality since 2018. During this time, he has won two Majors (Paris 2023, Austin 2025), 18 major LAN tournaments, and earned 27 MVP titles. His game is marked by consistency, composure, and the ability to clutch in the most critical moments.
In HLTV rankings, ZywOo has been named the best player in the world four times (2019, 2020, 2021, 2023), and his average rating for 2025 is 1.23. He is the main rival to s1mple in the battle for the title of the strongest player of the modern era.
INFORMATION ABOUT S1MPLE
Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev is a Ukrainian legend of Counter-Strike. In 2021, he had the most successful season in the history of the discipline: NAVI won almost everything, and s1mple earned a record eight MVP awards in a single year.
That same year, he was recognized as the best player in the world, and this record is still considered the “gold standard” for individual dominance.
ZYWOO’S 2025 SEASON
The Frenchman began the year brilliantly: victories at BLAST.tv Austin Major, IEM Dallas, and IEM Melbourne brought him three MVPs in a row. He later added awards from ESL Pro League S21, BLAST Rivals, and IEM Katowice, with his seventh MVP coming at BLAST Open Lisbon.
However, the second half of the year proved more difficult. Vitality lost to The MongolZ in the finals of BLAST Bounty, and also fell to G2 in the final of BLAST Open London. In those matches, ZywOo posted high statistics but walked away without an individual award.
UPCOMING TOURNAMENTS AND ZYWOO’S CHANCES
In 2025, ZywOo still has five opportunities:
- ESL Pro League Season 22 (Sweden) — a long-format tournament that often awards MVP to the player with the most consistent performance.
- PGL Bucharest Season 2 (Romania) — chances depend on the invite, but if Vitality participates, they will be among the favorites.
- IEM Chengdu 2025 (China) — a traditionally strong tournament with a stacked field where ZywOo can once again showcase his clutch ability.
- BLAST Rivals Season 2 (Denmark) — invite still in question, but the format of such events often results in MVP awards going to snipers.
- StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 (Hungary) — the main chance, since a Major MVP carries the most weight.
If Vitality can reach at least two finals, ZywOo will have every chance to surpass the mark of 8 MVPs.
CAN ZYWOO REPEAT S1MPLE’S FEAT?
In 2021, NAVI looked dominant, winning most top tournaments, which allowed s1mple to consistently claim MVP titles. Vitality currently do not have such an advantage — competition from FaZe, G2, and MOUZ is much stronger.
However, individually ZywOo is capable of winning MVP even without taking the championship, as he has proven before. His versatility and consistency make him the leading candidate for a new record. The key difference is that NAVI in 2021 had no weak spots, whereas Vitality sometimes “slip” in the playoff stage.
ZywOo stands one step away from matching s1mple in the race for the most MVPs in a single year. Ahead lie the key tournaments that will decide whether 2025 becomes a new historic milestone for the French star, or if the Ukrainian’s record remains untouched.
