French esports club Team Vitality has announced that its star Counter-Strike player Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut, who helped the team win the last-ever CS:GO Major, has re-signed to stay with the Parisians until 2026. And boy is Vitality excited about the news.
The outfit decided that only one thing would do for this announcement. Zywoo is French and the king of the AWP-ers, Vitality is a French esports organisation, and arguably the team’s finest moment was winning the Paris Major last May.
Vitality therefore announced the player’s new contract by making him sit on a golden throne made out of Counter-Strike guns, with the Eiffel tower as a backdrop.
Vitality later posted a tribute video to the player:
The team later posted some close-up shots of the throne itself. The AWP appropriately enough is the throne’s highest point, while Zywoo also appears to have been granted a crown made of bullets. I’m not sure what the golden skulls are all about. The whole thing looks like someone’s 3D printed a bunch of gun models and spray painted it gold, but hey: do you have a golden throne made of Counter-Strike guns? Thought not.
“Very proud to extend with Team Vitality and continue to wear these colours,” said Zywoo. “Thank you everyone for your support all these years. Eyes on the future now, and a lot of trophies in sight with this amazing team and fans.”
Vitality knows exactly what it thinks of Zywoo re-signing: “the best player stays in Paris.” Tres bien. As well as the throne, Vitality also unfurled a giant banner from the Eiffel Tower itself and took out billboard ads in Paris with some enthusiastic Zywoo stats: “Won 10 S-tier titles, Major Winner, 2 Times Best HLTV Player of the Year, 18 MVP Awards.”
When it comes to Counter-Strike 2, Team Vitality has made itself the team to beat. There will be no shortage of challengers but, in holding on to its most-prized asset, the French champions have made what they’ll hope is a major statement of intent. As for the photo opp… well, at least they didn’t make Zywoo hold up a baguette like it’s an AWP.