Team Vitality has extended the contracts of Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut and Dan “apEX” Madesclaire through 2028, the organization announced on August 19 in its contract announcement. The new deals keep two of Vitality’s longest-serving players together as the squad continues its run at the top of Counter-Strike.
Vitality built a remarkable record after adding Robin “ropz” Kool in January 2025. The international lineup collected 14 trophies, including Major victories in Austin and Budapest, along with two Intel Grand Slam wins.
The timing comes after a quieter finish to the team’s season by its own standards. Vitality also lost to Liquid in the opening round of the online BLAST Bounty, while the incoming temporary addition of Justinas “jL” Lekavicius brings another change to a roster that had spent a long stretch looking nearly untouchable.
Two contracts, one shared plan
In an interview with HLTV, both players said that leaving Vitality never became a serious possibility. ZywOo viewed staying as the obvious choice, while apEX said he still felt capable of competing at the required level as both the in-game leader and an individual player.
The decision did not require a major conversation between them. Both players joined Vitality’s Counter-Strike roster in 2018, with ZywOo arriving from the French roster aAa in September and apEX joining from G2 in October. After almost eight years together, the two players already knew they wanted to remain with the organization and its current lineup. The pair then helped Vitality develop into its present international form, and the new deals will carry their partnership to a full decade in 2028.
ZywOo said their relationship has stayed much the same throughout that journey, mixing arguments, laughter, unpredictable moments, and a shared enjoyment of competing. For apEX, the trust inside the team and the comfort of playing alongside the same core made another contract with Vitality feel natural.
Vitality CEO Fabien “Neo” Devide highlighted the duo’s consistency and commitment, crediting them with helping make Counter-Strike the organization’s flagship. Keeping both players allows the club to continue building around the same pair that defined its most successful era.
apEX still has no immediate retirement plan
At 33, apEX admitted that he once expected his career to end around the age of 30. Instead, he said daily competition still feels normal, and he can currently see himself playing for another two and a half years. The contract could be his last, since he would be close to 36 when it ends, but retirement is not something he has actively planned.
The captain identified three possible reasons for stepping away: losing the trust of his team, becoming tired of competing, or putting family first. He also revealed that he is going to become a father in a few months. The planned leave for the birth of his first child will see him miss PG Masters Bucharest, adding an immediate roster change to the next stage of Vitality’s season.
ApEX’s future after 2028 could depend on both his form and what his family wants at that point. If he is still performing well and Vitality offers another year, he said the decision would be a conversation rather than a certainty.
Vitality’s legacy is still being built
ApEX believes his work as Vitality’s IGL deserves a place in discussions about the best leaders in Counter-Strike. He acknowledged the cases for players such as karrigan and gla1ve, but said his own achievements should be part of that conversation after leading Vitality through its recent run of success.
ZywOo faces a different legacy question. At 25, he has spent his entire tier-one career with Vitality and could eventually become a one-club player. He said that would be a satisfying way to finish his career, although the number of tournaments ahead leaves little time to dwell on that possibility right now.
The recent results have not changed the pair’s main objective. Vitality achieved four of the five goals apEX identified for the team’s run: its first Grand Slam, Major wins in Austin and Budapest, and a second straight Grand Slam in Rio. Cologne was the only target the team missed, and apEX said the squad’s performance there showed that even a dominant group can make mistakes and lose some of its usual hunger.
EWC is Vitality’s next target
Vitality’s attention now turns to EWC in Paris, where the team will play in front of its home crowd. The event carries financial importance, but the chance to compete near family, friends, and French fans gives it extra weight for the roster. Vitality also has a strong record in the city: its 2023 Paris victory is one of the three Major titles ZywOo and apEX have won together, alongside Austin and Budapest.
ZywOo said the team wants to perform well in Paris without treating the home setting as extra pressure. For both players, the larger goal remains straightforward: keep winning tournaments, collect more trophies, and extend Vitality’s place among Counter-Strike’s leading teams.
Will Vitality add another chapter to its run with ZywOo and apEX? Share your thoughts in the comments, and follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, Telegram.
