Vitality's sniper Mathieu "ZywOo" Herbaut gave an interview to Players ahead of the CS2 IEM Cologne Major 2026 playoffs.
Let's start with the group stage game against 9z. How did it go? Why did you lose, and what went wrong?
Obviously, we lost the game against 9z, and from our side, we didn't play well at all. When we left the server, I felt like it was the worst game we had played in over a year. We didn't play well as a team, and our communication wasn't great. They clearly played better than us, which is why the result went against us. But in the end, it was also like a good slap in our face to just woke up and remind us that anyone can beat us. Anyone can play well at this Major. So, yeah, that 9z game was a much-needed wake-up call for us.
Before previous tournaments, you said that you hadn't been practicing much, and it showed in Atlanta. Has anything changed ahead of the Major?
Obviously, it's different. When you play at a Major, the atmosphere changes because you feel more pressure and more stress. Your team play and individual form can take a hit, so everything feels worse in a way. But within the team, we try not to think like that. Of course, we try to manage the pressure, but we don't dwell on it. We know that anyone can perform well, and it doesn't matter who we face. We don't care whether we play against underdogs or favorites because we know everyone is capable of playing at a high level. So, our preparation before the Major was still great. We might not have shown our absolute best in practice either, but we were working hard to become the best version of ourselves during the actual tournament. We are getting better every day, and that progress is what matters.
At this tournament, you made a video with s1mple where he was teaching you to be more confident and explaining how to show it. What do you think is confidence a real issue for you?
Look, I am confident in my game. But I'm just not the type of person who is going to go around saying, "I'm the GOAT" or "I'm the best." I'm just being me — a player who loves to play the game. That’s who I am. To be honest, I don't really care about being the GOAT; I don't need to be that guy. So, I’m going to keep being myself. I definitely have confidence on the server, but it's just not in my personality to show big expressions or brag about it.
But if it's not you, who is the GOAT then?
It's not me. I don't know... maybe s1mple or donk.
apEX is an absolutely legendary captain, and right now, he is enjoying some of the best results of his career over the past two years. Do you think he could achieve the same level without you?
It's tough to say. We've played together for eight years, and I think he would still do a great job without me anyway. He is an incredibly hard worker and knows the game inside out. No matter what team he plays for, even without me, he will always do his absolute best to stay at the top level. So yeah, of course, he could be the best in-game leader and build a top team around him even without me.
If you ever receive an invite from another team in the future, would you be interested in challenging yourself without apEX and the rest of the Vitality guys?
Yeah, why not? Of course, maybe in the future after apEX retires, or if I no longer have this specific team around me, I'd like to try a new challenge. It’s always fun, and it would be a good experience for me to perhaps have a new captain or experience new ways of playing. So yeah, why not? I would definitely accept a challenge like that.
Which type of captain works better for you? One who gives you more space and freedom, or do you prefer a heavily structured, tactical team where you have a specific position to hold and you play exactly as the captain tells you?
I don't really care to be honest. It doesn't matter to me who I play with. If I need to play under a captain who gives me more freedom, I will do that. If I need to play under a highly tactical captain, I will adapt. That's just my playstyle — I can fit into any team. I'm easy to manage anyway, so the leadership style doesn't matter.
But if I had to pick one leader to experience, maybe Karrigan, because he is one of those legendary in-game leaders. I feel like he can do both—maintain control while also granting some freedom. So yeah, maybe him.
How many Majors do you want to win in a row?
I don't know. Let's see how this one goes first. Maybe 3, 4, or 5 if we can. Either way, we at Vitality are never going to just stop wanting to win. That’s always our goal, so let's hope we win this one, and then we'll see what the future holds.
