For sure, 2025 was Vitality’s yr. The French group had an unbelievable season, successful each the BLAST Austin Main and the StarLadder Budapest Main, in addition to finishing their ESL Grand Slam run, as they ended the yr with 9 trophies lifted.
One of many greatest causes for that success is Shahar “flameZ” Shushan. The Israeli entry fragger has positioned himself amongst the all-time greats since becoming a member of Vitality, and lately earned himself a seventh-placed end within the HLTV high 20 for the second yr in a row.
With the 2026 season now underway, we sat down with flameZ to debate the highs and lows of 2025, his strengths and weaknesses inside his function, in addition to his shock at Spirit’s strikes and issues for the brand new BC.Recreation roster.
An Unimaginable 2025
You closed out an unbelievable 2025 by successful your second Main of the yr. On condition that the second half of the yr wasn’t as profitable as the primary, how good did it really feel to raise that trophy?
It was superb to raise it. The primary season set a very excessive bar, and it was all the time going to be arduous to copy it, however we didn’t even get near it as a result of we had such an all-out, dominant season, and that’s fairly loopy.
The principle factor was that once we got here to the second season, we didn’t have the very best begin. We saved believing and doing the identical issues, working arduous, and it labored out once we received the trophy at EPL.
ESL Professional League, although, it’s not a stage occasion, it’s not one thing we go into and suppose it’s the identical degree as successful in entrance of a crowd of 10k individuals. We have been glad, as a result of we received and performed good CS, however we needed one thing greater. Then, once we misplaced in Chengdu and Hong Kong, the one factor left was Budapest, and if we received that, we wouldn’t care if we had received the others.
You need to win as many trophies as you’ll be able to, however Budapest is a tremendous trophy to have. I stated in different interviews that it’s just like the cherry on high of the cake, but it surely’s not simply the cherry, it’s the cake itself, the factor individuals need to come and eat. It closed the yr so effectively and made a press release for what we’ve finished all yr in a good greater trend.
How did successful in Budapest evaluate to lifting your first Main trophy in Austin?
I feel that the Austin Main was extra hectic. We have been the favourites, and we went to the match figuring out that if we performed effectively, we’d win. However, then again, you additionally know that many issues can go improper, and that makes it so hectic to go and play in a match like that as the very best crew on the planet by far. You suppose in your head that you simply’ve received six tournaments up till that time, however when you lose that one, it’s a bit pointless to some extent.
Austin was particular as a result of it was my birthday, a novel day, individuals have been singing me glad birthday earlier than the match began, and it felt prefer it all aligned. I had a number of confidence that we have been going to win. In Budapest, there was means much less stress than in Austin. It was good to play like that, being in an enormous match however with means much less stress.
The principle distinction was that with Budapest, there was a number of grinding and doing issues within the follow room that may solely assist us within the brief time period, not in the long run, due to the participant break. We simply targeted on the following match, and actually put emphasis on how we ready and the way we have been going to do stuff, and I feel the coaches did rather well in that.
In Austin, all of us had the identical understanding of how we needed to strategy each recreation and match-up, and to some extent, the playoff bracket in Austin felt a bit tougher. We had NAVI in our first recreation, which was fairly shut, then we had MOUZ, then The MongolZ once they have been actually good. In Budapest, we had Spirit who have been robust, however The MongolZ weren’t in type, after which FaZe, they fucked us on Nuke, however we have been far more snug than them on the remainder of the maps.
Budapest might have gone in so many instructions, and all of it got here all the way down to how the bracket would go. That stated, I feel we have been in actually good condition and we might’ve received whoever we performed, however clearly, they might have finished it as effectively.
Going again to the second half of final yr, you guys have been in so many semi-finals and finals, regardless of not lifting trophies. So, do you suppose it was honest that folks criticised you a lot for not successful the occasions?
I feel apEX has stated that we fed the followers a bit too effectively. We gave them a season that was unforgettable.
I do suppose that the criticism was justified to some extent. It’s not the dropping, it’s the way in which we misplaced that made us really feel dangerous and made followers criticise us. We confirmed a degree that was so excessive, after which we went and performed like noobs.
That’s the sport to some extent; it’s leisure and esports, and the followers are going to criticize you even when you win and say that you simply’re fortunate. You’ve simply received to take what’s good and what’s dangerous, and if it is smart, you’ve set to work it out.
At the start, we have been enjoying badly within the elimination matches, so some criticism isn’t good as a result of followers lose cash and so they bully you in DMs, however then again, it’s simply going to be like that.
It doesn’t change something if the followers need to be honest or not. Ultimately, it’s simply you and your crew, and whether or not or not you play good CS. Even this yr, whether or not we begin rather well or actually badly, persons are simply going to go on about patterns, the place even when we lose each quarter-final, they’ll nonetheless name us the favourites when it will get to the Main.
Our efficiency coach all the time emphasises that folks will primarily decide you on how good you might be when instances are robust, so I feel us sticking to the semi-finals at a minimal gave us some room to breathe. If we misplaced earlier on, we’d lose confidence, so attending to the highest 4 after which simply enjoying shit, you continue to get the large image, and it doesn’t depress you. That issues quite a bit in CS.
Since Budapest, you’ve been named the seventh-best participant on the planet for 2025 by HLTV. How are you feeling about that?
I used to be very pleased with it. I used to be pondering that I might get eight or 9 in my head; they all the time ship you the interview a number of days earlier than, so I used to be making an attempt to estimate it, and getting seven, I used to be actually pleased with.
Lots of people have seven as a fortunate quantity, so it’s a cool quantity to have. Subsequent yr, my objective is to get seven once more.
It was your second yr in a row coming seventh; would you not prefer to go slightly greater?
No, I’m pleased with it. Earlier than getting seventh final yr, I cared in regards to the high 20, however not within the sense of the place I’m on the checklist. Clearly, the upper you might be, the higher it feels, but when I assist my crew and we win trophies, any participant on the planet would take what we did final yr over being within the high 20.
I’m pleased with it as a result of when you’re within the high 20, it exhibits your particular person type places your crew ready to win issues. However getting every other quantity wouldn’t change how I really feel. It’s cool to get the higher numbers, however successful trophies is all that basically issues.
Outdoors of donk, you’re the highest-ranked aggressive rifler by fairly a good distance, so what do you suppose you’re doing in another way to the opposite gamers in the identical roles as you?
I feel I’ve an excellent crew who’re very aligned on the entry facet of issues. If I die, I get traded actually shortly, so it makes the stats look higher on the web site. Ultimately, we’ve got much more conditions the place we additionally open up websites efficiently, and that’s what adjustments the sport and exhibits my affect.
Additionally, apEX as an IGL, he understands entrying so effectively as a result of he was an entry himself, so it provides me a bonus after I go into websites as a result of I’ve the arrogance that the strats are constructed across the entry pathing. Perhaps they’re not there for me to get a kill or do one thing loopy, however for me, gaining the information and making the sacrifice provides me the arrogance, and I’m glad to do it. In reality, I need to do it; enjoying passively bores me a bit.
Me doing that provides my crew a number of area, so I’m glad to do it. Perhaps me doing it provides me a bit greater placement, too, as a result of there are gamers that do the opening function higher than me, however I do the entrying function higher than them. Perhaps opening is extra meta, as a result of it’s the gamers like xertioN, XANTARES, and so they have extra alternatives to get duels at first of rounds, and so they do it higher than me. Then again, I additionally don’t care as a result of this yr I received extra trophies than them, so if the system works and also you consider it, what occurs is nice.
I additionally want to think about that I’ve actually good gamers round me, so I don’t must put every thing on myself. Placing them in a 2v2, if it’s ropz and ZywOo, or anybody else, as a result of they’re all so good, so long as I kill one on the entry and gave good data earlier than that, my job has been finished effectively, and I’ve affect no matter stats. That’s what issues, that’s the tradition that we’ve constructed right here. It doesn’t matter if I’m 18-1 or 1-18, so long as I’m giving the identical issues.
Shocking Roster Strikes
Rostermania hasn’t been as busy as a number of us anticipated it to be, so are you stunned that extra groups haven’t made adjustments to try to catch as much as you guys?
I don’t suppose the sport is to catch as much as us anymore prefer it was again in June. Many groups perceive that they want extra time to construct, and I respect that quite a bit. Some roster adjustments again then have been a bit naive; they tried to seek out gamers that may exchange individuals, and now they’re making adjustments once more as a result of these gamers didn’t match.
I feel groups like Falcons, they’ve proven their potential to win; they don’t require change except there’s a problem internally. I did anticipate extra adjustments within the high ten groups, although, however the Spirit roster change, I didn’t anticipate that in any respect. From figuring out a bit on the within, although, I feel that many have tried to vary however couldn’t purchase gamers or discover replacements they needed.
What do you concentrate on a few of the new rosters which have fashioned, like Astralis, 100 Thieves, and BC.Recreation?
I feel Astralis going worldwide is an efficient selection for them. It opens up far more alternatives than they’d earlier than, as a result of enjoying in a nationwide crew, except it’s like The MongolZ, the place you don’t have a massively aggressive scene, however you do have 5 very aggressive gamers, then it isn’t good.
In Denmark, years in the past, you can’ve performed in that nationwide market, however now the numbers have dwindled, and a number of the brand new skills are already going to worldwide groups. Everybody in Denmark speaks nice English, and most of their gamers already performed in worldwide rosters. So there is perhaps some adjustment to get used to it, but it surely’s an excellent resolution.
I don’t keep in mind 100 Thieves’ full roster, however I’ll say that having gadget, rain, and gla1ve brings a number of expertise to nurture gamers into stars. When you noticed this roster 4 years in the past, it could be legendary, however perhaps now a few of them have misplaced their type and performed in worse groups that we didn’t respect as a lot, however they’re all excellent and skilled.
The final crew, BC.Recreation, I don’t know who they’ve signed, however I do know they’ve s1mple and electroNic.
They’ve signed a core from SAW. It’s MUTiRiS, aragornN, and krazy.
Oh… okay.
I don’t know if it can click on; I feel it can conflict a bit. I don’t understand how the Portuguese play and the way they convey, however I assume the tradition can be completely different from what the others are used to. However they’re all professionals; they will all adapt and do effectively.
I’d prefer to see how it’s, however I feel that this roster seems like they’re nonetheless on the lookout for themselves, and perhaps shopping for a core is an efficient resolution as a result of they’ll get extra invitations and get to play in additional tournaments. Perhaps that may assist them, but it surely’s as much as them to see in the event that they’re severe about it and never simply being there for enjoyable.
You stated the Spirit adjustments stunned you. Why was that?
zont1x coming in was a bit extra anticipated, however chopper going out and magixx IGLing got here out of nowhere. Particularly as a result of every thing occurred so shortly after the Main ended.
magixx IGLing, it’s the identical as when Vitality did it with apEX and when MOUZ did it with Brollan, you don’t know what to anticipate, it might be actually good or dangerous, however a lot of the current IGLs work round it rather well.
I simply didn’t anticipate that form of change. I assumed they’d follow chopper, after which see relating to zweih, magixx, and zont1x in the event that they suppose somebody is healthier there. However I’m excited to see it, I can’t wait to see how they play, and each crew with donk goes to be aggressive. They might have a very good yr if it goes effectively, even when it’d seem like a downgrade on paper.
On the finish of the day, you construct for the long run, not the brief time period. They could have a tough begin, however the Main is what issues, and so they’ll have an excellent understanding of what they should do to be good by then. They’ve all performed collectively, too, so it’s not like it is going to be a shock assault or something loopy. So long as they alter, they are often actually good.
Wanting Forward to 2026
Waiting for this yr, you’ve received a Grand Slam and back-to-back Majors, so what’s subsequent for you when it comes to objectives?
As all the time, you could have private objectives and crew objectives. As a crew, I feel we’re in a stage the place we don’t look again. Final yr isn’t a benchmark; it’s unrealistic, and if it did grow to be lifelike, we’d be very pleased with that. As an alternative, we’ll simply stay up for regaining our type at first of the yr and peaking on the good tournaments like Krakow and Cologne, particularly.
The objective is to play good CS, as all the time, however the dream is to win as many trophies as we will. We simply must rebuild once more and preserve our belief in one another, and for that, we have to refine every thing and preserve bettering.
On a private degree, I’d prefer to get seven on HLTV this yr, too, as a result of then I’d have the jackpot quantity. However that’s not that vital.
Given every thing that you simply achieved final yr, how do you handle expectations for this yr?
It’s primarily that we don’t evaluate ourselves to 2025, we simply have to take a look at the current and go off that. Many issues can change; there are massive query marks as a result of we haven’t even practised but. We all know what works for us, so we need to deal with the method quite than the outcomes. We don’t need to give ourselves stress that isn’t wanted.
Do you suppose it’s potential to match final yr’s efficiency and even surpass it?
When you got here to me in 2024 and informed me what would occur in 2025, I wouldn’t suppose it was lifelike. After 2025, although, even when it doesn’t really feel that means, it might occur; you by no means know.
To get there, you simply need to consider in your self and do your finest in each second, as a result of aside from that, you don’t have management over what occurs. If Spirit comes and donk drops a 2.00 score with sh1ro additionally enjoying rather well, or every other crew with insane gamers, it may be random to some extent. However we hope that even when we lose, we don’t have remorse and simply know that we misplaced to a greater crew than us.
It might be lifelike, it might be far off, who is aware of? We received 30 matches in a row, 33 or 34 best-of-threes, seven tournaments in a row, however earlier than that, when you requested anybody within the scene, then nobody would have anticipated anybody to drag that off.
Assuming you suppose you’re the very best crew on the planet proper now, who do you suppose are the most important threats?
We have been the very best crew in 2025, however proper now we have to struggle for that title once more. All the pieces might be completely different after the break.
FURIA have proven a very excessive peak, though they haven’t crushed everybody but. However that’s a query mark you all the time have while you haven’t but beaqten everybody, since you marvel when you actually are the very best or not. They want these matchups, however I nonetheless suppose they’ll be contending.
MOUZ, I don’t know. They might be actually good, however they might be extra common within the high 5 like final season. Spirit, I’m excited to see. Falcons will all the time be a menace and might be the very best crew on the planet for some time, and The MongolZ will all the time have a case, too, so long as their new participant suits.
You didn’t point out FaZe there. Do you suppose you’ll see them extra this yr after their Main run, or was {that a} one-off in your eyes?
Having Twistzz of their roster will give them much more, they’ll be in much more playoffs for positive. If broky and jcobbb additionally replicate their performances, they’ll be far more aggressive and might even seize a number of trophies, but when they don’t, it’ll be quite a bit harder.
They’ve a very good crew, and so they’re actually good at Nuke, however once they got here to the Main, they have been nonetheless a brand new crew, so we didn’t see that a lot. There’s a number of potential there, but it surely’s arduous to inform whether or not it’s a honeymoon or if the crew is definitely actually stable.
We simply must see extra of them, as a result of FaZe have had actually good rosters and been shit, and had dangerous rosters and been good, however they’re all the time a crew that, in the event that they get to playoffs, will all the time be harmful. The lower-level groups take care of FaZe higher, but it surely’s all the time shut when the higher-level groups play them. You by no means know with them.
