ZywOo Reflects on Team Vitality's Triumph at IEM Cologne: "It Was an Amazing Final"

Not only did Team Vitality lift the coveted trophy, but ZywOo also added another accolade to his name by being recognized as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the event. The French esports sensation shared his thoughts on the intense final, the pressure leading up to it, and what this win means for him and his team.

A Hard-Fought Victory

Reflecting on the final, ZywOo expressed a mix of relief and happiness as the pressure of the competition finally subsided. "It's tough to say something because the pressure is going down. We're just happy; everyone has smiled now, and it's been amazing," he said. The finals at IEM Cologne presented an extraordinary challenge, one that ZywOo admitted was unlike any other he had experienced before. "I never played this kind of final, and finally, we won it. It’s amazing," he added.

Despite the victory, ZywOo acknowledged that there is still room for improvement. When asked if he was satisfied with their performance, he candidly admitted, "I think we played a good game, but it could be way better. It was the final, so a lot more pressure to perform, and sometimes we didn't play our own game." However, the focus remains on learning and growing from their mistakes. "We're obviously going to watch the game and talk about the mistakes we made, but we won, and we're just happy with the result," he said.

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A Milestone in 2024

This win marks Team Vitality's first trophy of 2024, a significant achievement after coming up short in two previous finals. The victory was particularly sweet, especially given the high expectations and the pressure to deliver this year. "Our goal this year was to lift at least one trophy, and we did it, so we're going to be happy and just enjoy it now," ZywOo noted with satisfaction.

The triumph in Cologne carried extra weight for Vitality's captain, Dan "apEX" Madesclaire, who had previously expressed a strong desire to win this tournament before considering retirement. ZywOo acknowledged the importance of this win for apEX, saying, "Of course, we're happy for him because, like he said in his interview, he wanted to win Cologne before retiring. Everyone was really focused and worked really hard to make this happen for him."

Pushing Through to the End

One of the most intense moments in the final was when Vitality struggled to close out the match on Inferno, despite having a massive lead. ZywOo attributed the delay to a mix of overconfidence and caution. "Maybe we took it too easy because we were leading 11-2 and thought we had already won. But some people talked during the game to say, 'Just take your time,' and we finished in a good way," he shared.

With 20 MVP medals to his name, ZywOo is now just one medal away from tying Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev's record. However, he remains humble about the possibility of surpassing the legendary player. "If I get another MVP, I’ll be at the same level, but to be honest, I’m not always thinking about it. While I play, I’m just doing my thing with my team," he said.

Looking Ahead

With the season in full swing, including upcoming tournaments like the BLAST Finals, IEM Rio, and the Major, ZywOo believes this victory will be a significant boost for the team. "It’s going to be a good boost because we really needed it after the two losses in Dallas. We have so much to bring to the table, and we know we can do better things. This will give us good momentum for the rest of the year," he concluded.

As Team Vitality continues to build on their success, all eyes will be on ZywOo and his teammates as they aim to lift more trophies and further cement their place among the best in the world.

You can see the full interview down below.