Through difficulties to domination: Vitality win CS2 Budapest Major 2025

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The tournament playoffs were full of unexpected results, and many people’s predictions proved incorrect. However, Team Vitality performed as expected, even though they had a slow start in a couple of important games.

Team Vitality’s victory at the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 is a monumental accomplishment. This is their third Major championship, putting them just behind the all-time leader, Astralis. What’s even more impressive is that this particular team has now won two CS2 Majors in a row.

Easy start, long wake-ups, and dominant statement: Vitality’s run in the Budapest Major Playoffs

Most fans predicted Vitality and FURIA would make it to the championship match when the playoff brackets were announced, and one of those teams did indeed reach the final. However, Vitality had some tough moments along the way.

Vitality had a smooth start to their playoff run, easily defeating The MongolZ in the quarterfinals with a dominant performance on two maps.

The MongolZ added a new player to their team and struggled throughout the season. Considering the circumstances, they should be pleased with qualifying for the Playoffs. However, Team Vitality proved to be a stronger opponent, and The MongolZ were unable to overcome them.

Vitality had a tough start against Team Spirit, looking slow to begin with on the first map. Team Spirit played exceptionally well, but Vitality eventually found their rhythm – reminding themselves they were competing at a major championship – and ultimately won the map after a grueling three overtime periods.

Okay, so it seemed like Team Spirit, and especially donk, kinda choked on Map 2. Honestly, it felt like they let their emotions get the better of them, and Vitality just had an easier time closing it out.

The championship match pitted Team Vitality against FaZe Clan. The initial phase of the competition lasted the entire first map. On Nuke, FaZe dominated Vitality, with even star player Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut unable to connect with his signature sniper shots.

The series began on Dust II, which immediately raised concerns about FaZe Clan’s limited map selection. While Inferno was close, Vitality ultimately dominated, winning the series and the tournament with an impressive 13-2 victory on Overpass.

Vitality has won the Budapest Major! They’re considered one of the best Counter-Strike esports teams in the world.

From Stage 1 to the grand final: Amazing FaZe!

FaZe Clan’s early difficulties in Stage 1, especially their inconsistent performances against less competitive teams, seem like a distant memory now. However, those struggles were very real – they barely qualified for Stage 2, and many began questioning the team’s lineup. A lot of the criticism focused on player Jakub “jcobbb” Pietruszewski.

FaZe quickly advanced through Stage 2, and they even won their first match of Stage 3 against Vitality. However, it was a short, single-game match, and Vitality was just beginning their tournament run.

Going into the Playoffs, FaZe Clan was widely considered an underdog. They surprised everyone by dominating MOUZ, with a particularly impressive 13-2 victory on Inferno, and then pulled off a remarkable comeback to win their semifinal match against NAVI.

Man, watching FaZe in the CS2 Major grand final again was intense! It was their third time getting there in just four Majors for this game. They’re so close to finally winning it all, and I’m definitely keeping my eyes on them – I think they’re gonna be a huge force in the Counter-Strike 2 esports scene in 2026.

NAVI to defeat the biggest favorites and their personal monsters

Losing to FaZe Clan was tough, but NAVI can still be proud of how well they played at the Budapest Major.

NAVI started the tournament in Stage 2, which is earlier than expected for a team of their caliber. They had a surprisingly tough season, reaching the top four at IEM Cologne 2025 but failing to win a single match at IEM Chengdu just before the Major championship.

Most people thought NAVI’s run would end in the quarterfinals against FURIA. This matchup carried a lot of bad memories, as FURIA had previously defeated NAVI in a 3-0 sweep during the grand final of the 2025 Thunderpick World Championship.

This time, NAVI managed to secure the win, even though FURIA almost pulled off a comeback with an impressive performance on Inferno. Ultimately, NAVI defeated the top contenders at the Budapest Major.

Despite a strong beginning in their semifinal match against FaZe, NAVI struggled to close it out. FaZe’s players were simply better individually, and that ultimately proved to be the difference.

Big struggles of big teams

Falcons briefly excited their fans with a strong showing at BLAST Rivals Fall 2025, making it to the grand final. Unfortunately, they were eliminated in the quarterfinals by Spirit, losing a match on Nuke with a score of 4-13.

Everyone expected FURIA to win the Budapest Major, especially after their strong performance and several victories leading up to the tournament. They had a great Stage 3, convincingly defeating top teams like NAVI and G2.

Despite their efforts, FURIA wasn’t able to defeat NAVI in the Playoffs. Their attempt to rally on Inferno wasn’t enough to secure a win.

MOUZ hasn’t won any championships this season, although they were often contenders in the past, making it to the final rounds of tournaments. At a recent event in Budapest, they were decisively defeated by FaZe Clan. Many fans thought the match would be much closer.

Spirit wasn’t able to win against Vitality. While Vitality is a top-tier team, Spirit struggled with maintaining their composure, which ultimately hindered their performance.

2025 was an amazing year for Team Vitality and their supporters. It’ll be exciting to see how they perform next season! Will they match or even surpass Astralis’ record of winning four Majors?

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2025-12-15 15:43