Team Vitality, a leading esports team in France and Europe, is proud to have won IEM Rio 2023 this Sunday by defeating Heroic (2-0) in the final. After qualifying directly for the Legends stage of the long-awaited Paris Major earlier in April, the team went straight to Brazil. Once there, they repeatedly demonstrated their determination and steely resolve in front of the Jeunesse Arena crowd.
The competition had started poorly, however, with a 17-19 overtime loss to OG, placing the team directly in the lower bracket. The path ahead was more difficult, but by no means impossible. An incredible lower-bracket run followed, leading to the playoffs with a 2-0 victory over MIBR in front of their home crowd, a 2-0 win over the American FaZe Clan, and a 2-1 revenge victory over OG.
In the playoffs, the team put on a memorable show. First against BIG, winning two games with ease, then delivering a superhuman performance against the American team Cloud9. Trailing 10-0, the team rallied to deliver its best CS of the tournament and claw back to a 2-1 victory. A memorable performance that propelled us into the final and once again demonstrated the mental strength of our roster.
Facing an electrified team, the Danes from Heroic had no choice but to fall 2-0. Team Vitality finished IEM Rio 2023 at the top of the standings, with a spot secured for IEM Cologne 2023 next August. A reassuring mindset ahead of the Paris Major!