BLAST Open London 2025 has become a test of resilience for Vitality: without a title since the summer break, the team still reaches a fourth straight semi-final. Led by Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut, the French-British squad now heads into Wembley with confidence and the backing of a home crowd. In a conversation with BLAST.tv, ZywOo spoke about “eras,” the GOAT debate, Vitality’s struggles, and the power of playing on home soil.
Astralis as the standard of time
Debates about “great eras” reignited after Vitality’s unbeaten first half of 2025. Some rushed to call this stretch “the greatest in history,” but ZywOo himself dismissed such claims:
Astralis had a different era because they stayed on top longer. They won three Majors, and we only have one. If you talk about a real era, you need to win another one or two Majors. In six months we did something unique, but in the long-term perspective Astralis still have the best era in every way.
This statement effectively ended the debate: even the most dominant six-month runs cannot compare with the historical stability of Astralis between 2018–2020.
Has the Vitality “era” ended?
Three straight semi-final exits after the summer break led many fans to talk about “the end of dominance.” But for ZywOo, that’s just outside noise:
When people say it’s over, they’re only talking about three tournaments. That’s not the end. We have the same lineup as in the first six months. It would be stupid to change anything. We know that if we bring back that fire and improve individually, it will work again.
Vitality have chosen stability over panic — no major roster changes, only working on their own game.
Losing simplicity and finding rhythm
ZywOo admitted that the current slump is not about a lack of motivation but about details:
We’re digging too deep into small things, and that makes the game harder. Before, we would win those matches, take easy frags, but now we’ve lost that feeling. But I’m sure we’ll find it again.
The French star confessed his own performance in the BLAST Open London group stage was “far from ideal.” Still, he emphasized that the entire team is going through the same struggles — and solving them is only a matter of time.
Wembley, between two worlds
A special factor in this tournament will be the home crowd. For ZywOo, returning to London is symbolic: it was here, at the FACEIT Major in 2018, that he first announced himself on the big stage. Now, his teammate is William “mezii” Merriman — the “king of UK CS,” as ZywOo himself calls him:
Having king mezii with us is a privilege. The crowd can push us forward.
Vitality hope that the blend of French experience and British crowd energy will fuel a push for the trophy.
The GOAT debate: “I don’t think about it”
Another topic that always follows ZywOo is comparisons to s1mple and the new phenomenon donk. But the Frenchman distances himself from this discussion:
I don’t care about it. It’s bad to think about that while you’re still playing. I’ll ask myself and others after my career whether I was the GOAT. But right now — no.
For him, the priority is victories in the present, not a place in eternal rankings. Vitality have not yet managed to turn their “golden half-year” into a long-lasting era. But the team remains among the favorites and has the chance to rewrite the script in London.
ZywOo, despite the dip, speaks with confidence and shows the same trait that made him a legend: belief in his team and the ability to keep a cool head. Wembley lies ahead — and it is there that it will become clear whether Vitality are ready to once again fight for the title of the very best.
