Following the closing ceremony of the Esports World Cup , the Esports Awards awarded Mathieu "ZywOo" Herbaut the title of Esports Breakthrough Player of the Decade . Nicknamed "The Chosen One" for being born on the day of the game's release (November 9, 2000), the Frenchman has won every major title since joining Team Vitality and has been voted the best player in the world three times.
This international distinction, awarded by industry leaders, places zywOo at the highest global level. In six years, he has established himself as an iconic figure in esports and has grown within his beloved club. A true star player, he is now bringing French esports to the top of the international scene and continues to push the boundaries of the game.
A track record worthy of the greatest
Revealed at Team Vitality in 2018, when the club launched on Counter-Strike, ZywOo was only 18 years old when he took his first steps on the international scene. In his first season, he won the title of best player in the world and quickly established himself among the elite ( HLTV ranking : #1 in 2019 and 2020, #2 in 2021 and 2022, #1 in 2023, #3 in 2024).
With 27 HLTV MVP titles to his name (a record on the scene), two Majors (Paris 2023 and Austin 2025) and a Grand Slam (2025), the Lens native has built a list of achievements that places him among the greatest Counter-Strike players of all time.
Since his inception, zywOo has embodied excellence, consistency, and humility at the highest level. This latest award recognizes an exceptional career, marked by his unique ability to shine in decisive moments and elevate his team to global prominence.
Today, he is one of the iconic faces of Team Vitality and a key figure in international esports. This award, presented by the Esports Awards, cements his legacy among the legends of the last decade.
2025: the year of all records
For Team Vitality, ZywOo and his teammates, 2025 will go down as a historic year. With a 30-game winning streak, seven major Counter-Strike 2 titles, including a second Major in Austin and a Grand Slam, the team established itself as one of the most dominant in the game's history.
Around ZywOo, the driving force behind this success, Team Vitality laid the foundations for a golden age for the organization and for French esports, now nicknamed “the Vitality era.” This distinction also reaffirms the club’s commitment to supporting and revealing exceptional talent, while contributing to the influence of French and international esports.
