mezii post-Budapest Major win: “Last year, you’d never have thought that we could be in this position”

William “mezii” Merriman, alongside his Team Vitality team, have been crowned champions of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025. It’s a back-to-back win for the team, the first roster to do so since 2019. Post-match, we had the opportunity to chat with mezii, to get his initial thoughts on the team’s incredible achievement.

Daniel Morris: mezii, first off, congratulations. You’re not just the first Brit to win one Major – how about two? Tell me how that feels to just fly the flag for the national scene like that.

William “mezii” Merriman: Yeah, it’s insane to be in this position. Just going into 2024, last year, you’d never have thought that we could be in this position, to be able to win as many tournaments as we did and even the Majors. It’s crazy. To even think that we’re in a position now to be able to win back-to-back Majors… Being a player from the UK where there’s not as many opportunities, we haven’t got the strongest scene, I just hope it’s an extra push to all these individuals that are trying to go professional, trying to grow within the scene. Just keep working hard, and yeah, like I say, in one year, everything can change like it’s happened here. For individuals in the UK as well, anything can happen.

Daniel: I don’t know if you’ve had the chance to actually see yet, but Dust2 was your best-ever map at a Big Event. What clicked into place for you individually on that map?

mezii: I don’t know. I think overall, just this Final, the team were really calm. I think when we’re so focused on just playing so connected and as a team, it really helped me as an individual to focus on my own game and just focus on what I have to do. I think even on all these maps, it was just a joy to play in the team. Kept me so calm, so focused on what I had to do and when it’s like this it makes it a lot easier. Of course, the team’s performing well, it also helps me, so yeah, it’s nice just to find impact in the team.

Daniel: I’ve got to touch on that Overpass. What on Earth went on in that first half? It looked like you were going to 13:0 them. 

mezii: ropz, that’s what happened!

Daniel: Yeah, he particularly turned up. It was one of his best-ever maps, as well. What a time to show up. Tell me what on Earth happened on that map.

mezii: Yeah I mean, even for me, I don’t even know what happened. I was just underground, kinda relaxing and chilling in the game. ropz is killing everyone. That’s what makes players like him special, your players like ZywOo. These star players that can literally just take over a game, and it’s not like it’s the easiest position on Overpass to find impact on B. Sometimes you can get shut down. Today, it makes it so much easier for apEX to be able to make calls and just free-flowing the game. When you’ve got players like that shutting everything down, making clutches, making big plays… For players like me as well, I just sit there and appreciate everything that’s going on and watch them do their jobs.