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The grand final of StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 will see FaZe Clan face Team Vitality in a best-of-five series on December 14. Both teams arrive at the final after convincing playoff runs, proving their ability to perform under maximum pressure. Vitality enter the match with a structured, disciplined approach and strong map preparation, while FaZe rely on explosive individual skill and the ability to swing momentum in their favor at any moment.
Let's dive in.
How the bookmakers see it: Vitality are favorites
According to the bookmakers, Team Vitality enter the grand final as the clear favorites. The French squad are priced at 1.38, reflecting their consistent form throughout the tournament, while FaZe Clan are offered at 2.94, underlining their underdog status despite the strong playoff run.
Vitality form. What result can be expected from Vitality
Team Vitality in 2025 has firmly established itself as one of the most dominant organizations in the European CS2 scene, combining elite individual talent, strategic depth, and a proven winning mentality. Founded in 2013 and transitioning successfully into Counter‑Strike 2, Vitality has consistently demonstrated its ability to compete at the highest level, blending experienced leadership with young stars capable of turning games around in crucial moments.
The 2025 roster features some of the biggest names in competitive Counter-Strike: Dan “apEX” Madesclaire serves as the captain and IGL, providing tactical guidance and leadership; Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut stands out as one of the world’s top AWPers and riflers; Shahar “flameZ” Shushan and William “mezii” Merriman bring flexibility and consistent firepower to the rifling positions; and Robin “ropz” Kool, signed in early 2025, adds star-level skill and stability. This combination of experience and raw talent gives Vitality the ability to execute complex strategies and adapt to opponents at all levels.
- Team Vitality 2025 roster: apEX, ZywOo, flameZ, mezii, ropz.
Vitality’s 2025 campaign has been marked by sustained success across premier tournaments. They kicked off the year with victories at BLAST Rivals Spring 2025 (3:2) and IEM Melbourne 2025 (3:2), followed by dominant performances at Intel Extreme Masters Dallas 2025 (3:0) and BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 (2:1), claiming large prize pools and reinforcing their status as one of the top global squads.
In the summer, Vitality reached the grand final of Intel Extreme Masters Chengdu 2025, where they ultimately fell to FURIA in a 3:0 sweep — a rare setback that nonetheless showcased their consistency and ability to reach the late stages of major events.
Later that year, the team placed 3rd–4th at IEM Cologne 2025 ($80,000) and 4th at the Esports World Cup 2025 ($70,000), while also finishing as runners-up at BLAST Open Fall 2025 (2nd, $60,000). Vitality consistently proved their strength online as well, qualifying through BLAST Open Fall 2025: Closed Qualifier (2:1). Their autumn campaign was capped with a commanding victory at ESL Pro League Season 22 (3:0, $100,000), demonstrating both tactical superiority and mechanical precision. Additionally, their triumph in ESL Grand Slam Season 5 earlier in the year, earning $1,000,000, underlined their sustained dominance across multiple S-tier events.
At the ongoing StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, Vitality started their campaign from Stage 3, advancing with a 3–1 record. In their opening match, they suffered a surprising 7–13 loss to FaZe Clan. However, Vitality quickly recovered, defeating 3DMAX 13–4 and B8 13–2, before securing a convincing 2–0 victory over NaVi in a best-of-three series. In the playoff stage, Team Vitality defeated The MongolZ with a 2:0 scoreline and then went on to beat Team Spirit 2:0 in the semifinals.
Vitality Map Pool
Over the past three months, Team Vitality has demonstrated clear strengths across its map pool, with Dust2 emerging as their most dominant map, particularly as a first pick, boasting a remarkable 90% win rate. Inferno has also proven to be a reliable choice, with a 75% success rate reflecting strong mid-round control and site execution. Nuke and Overpass remain solid options at 62.5% and 60% respectively, showing tactical flexibility and good defensive setups. Mirage presents moderate success with a 54.5% win rate, indicating room for refinement in both utility usage and entry strategies. Train has been more challenging, with a 42.9% win rate, suggesting the team may prioritize adjustments and practice to strengthen performance on this map. Overall, these statistics highlight Vitality’s adaptability and strategic depth, making them a formidable opponent across a wide range of maps.
FaZe Clan form. What result can be expected from FaZe Clan
Team FaZe Clan in 2025 remains one of the most recognizable and competitive organizations in CS2. Starting as a content-focused clan in 2010, FaZe has grown into a top esports brand, known for blending experienced players with high-level talent. The team continues to focus on staying competitive at international events while adapting to the evolving CS2 meta.
The 2025 roster balances experience and skill: Helvijs “broky” Saukants provides consistent rifling and solid fragging; Finn “karrigan” Andersen leads as captain and IGL, directing strategy and coordination; David “frozen” Čerňanský offers flexible map control and reliable aim; Jakub “jcobbb” Pietruszewski brings adaptable rifling and steady performance; and Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken adds clutch potential and precision. Coach Filip “NEO” Kubski guides tactics and team communication, keeping the squad coordinated.
- Team FaZe Clan 2025 roster: broky, karrigan, frozen, jcobbb, Twistzz.
In 2025, FaZe Clan has had mixed results in tournaments. They finished 7th–8th at CS Asia Championships 2025 ($10,000), 4th at ESL Pro League Season 22 ($22,000), and 5th–6th at BLAST Open Fall 2025 ($20,000). Online, they placed 3rd–4th in the BLAST Open Fall 2025: Closed Qualifier. Other events like the Esports World Cup 2025 (9th–16th, $20,000), BLAST Bounty Fall 2025: Closed Qualifier (9th–16th, $2,500), and IEM Cologne 2025 (7th–8th, $24,000) showed areas for improvement. Earlier in the year, they took 5th–8th at BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 ($45,000), 9th–12th at IEM Dallas 2025 ($5,000), and 5th–6th at BLAST Rivals Spring 2025 ($25,000).
At the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, FaZe Clan demonstrated both strong wins and challenging matches. In Stage 1, they defeated RED 2–1 and Fluxo 2–1, but lost to NIP 8–13. Stage 2 saw FaZe overcome Aurora 13–10 and P.UA 13–10, and then defeat NIP 2–0, showing solid form. In Stage 3, the team beat Vitality 13–7 and 3DMAX 2–0, but faced setbacks with losses to Spirit 5–13 and MongolZ 7–13. However, after that, they defeated 3DMAX 2:0 and Passion UA2:0, which secured them a place in the playoff stage. In the playoffs, they were considered underdogs, as they were the lowest-ranked team in the world ranking among all teams remaining in the tournament. Nevertheless, karrigan and his teammates first defeated MOUZ 2:0, and then staged a sensational comeback against Natus Vincere, turning the match around when they were only a few rounds away from elimination and winning the series 2:1.
As a result, FaZe Clan reached the grand final directly from the opening stage of the Major, despite being close to ending their tournament run at that very stage.
FaZe Clan Map Pool
Over the past three months, FaZe Clan has shown clear preferences and performance patterns across their map pool. Mirage has been their strongest map, boasting a 69.2% win rate, highlighting their comfort and tactical execution there. Ancient and Dust2 follow with moderate success at 54.5% and 50%, showing that the team can adapt and perform on different layouts. Inferno and Nuke have proven more challenging, with win rates of 44.4% and 42.9%, indicating room for improvement in mid-round control and site execution. Overpass and Train have been weaker areas: Overpass has yet to yield a victory, while Train is consistently used as a first ban, suggesting strategic avoidance rather than reliance.
Head to Head: Team Vitality vs FaZe Clan
Looking at their recent encounters, Team Vitality have the upper hand over FaZe Clan. Out of their last 25 matches, Vitality have won 21, while FaZe have taken 4, including some wins in overtime. Key clashes include the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, where FaZe won Nuke 13-7, but Vitality have consistently dominated in other tournaments like ESL Pro League Season 22, BLAST Open London 2025, and IEM Katowice 2025 across maps such as Dust2, Inferno, Mirage, and Nuke. Overall, Vitality’s record shows both experience and consistency against FaZe, though a few close matches suggest the grand final could still be competitive.
Predicted result of the match Vitality – FaZe at StarLadder Budapest Major 2025
Looking at both teams form and head-to-head record, Team Vitality are expected to have a relatively straightforward path to victory in the grand final. Their experience, consistency, and strong map pool make them the clear favorites, and a 3:1 win seems the most likely outcome. While Vitality are not completely flawless and could drop one map — possibly two — it would take an extraordinary performance from FaZe Clan for them to win the series. FaZe have shown they can pull off comebacks, but against a disciplined and well-prepared team like Vitality, a full match win would require something close to a miracle.
Prediction: Team Vitality win.
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