Macron Salutes Team Vitality’s Epic Triumph

Team Vitality has cemented their legacy as CS2 royalty last Sunday (27/04) as they took down arch-rivals Team Falcons in an overtime thriller to seize their second Intel Extreme Masters 2025 title. And their victory has not only celebrated by the esports community but also the French President Emmanuel Macron himself.

Despite entering the tournament as the strongest favorite, Vitality was expected to face fierce resistance from Falcons, who had recently acquired young prodigy Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov weeks prior. These predictions were reflected in the intense back-and-forth battle between these two.

The thrilling series saw both sides trade blows. Vitality opened with a dominant 13-2 victory in Game 1 (Inferno), only for Falcons to retaliate with a gripping 16-12 comeback in Game 2 (Dust 2). The momentum continued to swing as Falcons claimed Game 3 (Train) and Vitality leveled the score with a win in Game 4 (Mirage).

In the decisive Game 5 on Nuke, Vitality trailed heavily in the first half with a 1-9 scoreline. However, the duo of Mathieu “Zywoo” Herbaut and Robin “ropz” Kool refused to relent, clawing back to force overtime. After a prolonged shootout, the Yellow Bees overturned the deficit to clinch a dramatic 22-20 victory.

The victory secured Vitality’s second IEM 2025 title, following their earlier win at the season opener in Katowice, Poland. And it quickly drew acclaim from the French community and President Macron, who hailed the team as a national pride.

“With its Grand Slam, Vitality has elevated France to the top of esports and made our colors shine. Congratulations to the entire team!” Macron posted on social media.

With back-to-back titles and a roster firing on all cylinders, Vitality now sets its sights on the IEM Dallas crown this May. Critics wonder if anyone can halt their momentum—but for now, they show no signs of stopping.