IEM Katowice 2025 is at an end! Team Vitality took home the W in a very convincing 3-0 in the grand finals. Just after they hoisted the trophy, I got to speak with Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut about the performance, the crowd and what it’s like to play with ropz.

Sophie: Congratulations ZywOo!

How are you feeling right now?

ZywOo: Feeling amazing after this great final I think we did with the team so amazing feeling now. Just really happy.

Sophie: Absolutely. I mean this isn’t your first Grand Finals, is it?

ZywOo: No, obviously not. So we’re just excited to play. Always amazing to play in front of the crowd in this legendary arena. So we were really excited to play it.

Sophie: Fantastic. Because I guess this is one of your first tournaments with ropz. I wanted to touch really quickly on this map one it seemed like every man had his moment but ropz really came in on that first map.

So how important was that for you for the rest of the series?

ZywOo: I think you can see him, he’s one of the greatest players. Like he was in Faze even before in Mouz but even now, he could get the best he can get understood on mid no one could rotate, no one could get shots. He was killing everyone. So it’s amazing to have a player like him inside of the team.

Last time he f*cked us in Shanghai so now he f*cked them with us. So it’s always amazing to have him.

Sophie:  Absolutely. I guess because things did look a little bit ropey in that game three there where they started to make the comeback.

What was your communication like at that point?

ZywOo: I would say I think we were the same. It’s just I think the pressure of finish because it’s not the same. We were that close to win so we wanted to maybe win too fast so that was the problem. But at the end we were just, I think all of us, all five and even the coach was saying just chill guys, we’re gonna make it. We know potential. We just won the two games before so we just keep chill. We’re gonna make it even though. We good for the fourth map. We don’t care, we don’t think about it. Just know one by one, just be present and we’re going to make it.

Sophie: Absolutely. I mean it’s a tried and true technique right, because you guys really had the crowd behind you today.

What impact does that have on a grand finals performance?

ZywOo: Always great anyway because we’re here to always to play in front of the crowd. That’s why I think we love to play and it’s amazing to have the crowd like behind you like screaming, hearing your name. This is amazing when you do the entrance and people are more screaming Vitality and the other team is always. It gives you goosebumps kinda. So it’s always a pleasure to play with that.

Sophie: Oh fantastic.Okay, I just had one last question because I just saw the video you posted on Twitter with donk.

Did you have that ready before the series?

ZywOo: It’s not me. It’s not me obviously. Obviously, you know me. I’m not really on Twitter or Instagram so beyond my stage I think. Ready for that series, they were preparing this but actually I enjoy it.

Sophie:  Okay, that was good.

Is it safe to say the the rivalry is confirmed now?

ZywOo: Yes and no. I mean he’s one of the greatest players for now. So obviously it’s a rivalry but it’s also like for in kind way it’s not to blame him or anything but just it’s always good to have this anyway.

Sophie: Absolutely. Okay. Thank you so much ZywOo and congratulations.

ZywOo: Thank you very much.