FlameZ Displays on Vitality’s Dominant 2025 and the Problem of Staying on High

Unquestionably, 2025 was Vitality’s 12 months. The French group had an unbelievable season, successful each the BLAST Austin Main and the StarLadder Budapest Main, in addition to finishing their ESL Grand Slam run, as they ended the 12 months with 9 trophies lifted.

One of many largest causes for that success is Shahar “flameZ” Shushan. The Israeli entry fragger has positioned himself amongst the all-time greats since becoming a member of Vitality, and just lately earned himself a seventh-placed end within the HLTV prime 20 for the second 12 months in a row.

With the 2026 season now underway, we sat down with flameZ to debate the highs and lows of 2025, his strengths and weaknesses inside his position, in addition to his shock at Spirit’s strikes and issues for the brand new BC.Recreation roster.

An Unbelievable 2025

You closed out an unbelievable 2025 by successful your second Main of the 12 months. On condition that the second half of the 12 months wasn’t as profitable as the primary, how good did it really feel to raise that trophy?

It was wonderful to raise it. The primary season set a very excessive bar, and it was at all times going to be exhausting to duplicate it, however we didn’t even get near it as a result of we had such an all-out, dominant season, and that’s fairly loopy.

The principle factor was that after we got here to the second season, we didn’t have the very best begin. We stored believing and doing the identical issues, working exhausting, and it labored out after we received the trophy at EPL.

ESL Professional League, although, it’s not a stage occasion, it’s not one thing we go into and assume it’s the identical stage as successful in entrance of a crowd of 10k folks. We have been comfortable, as a result of we gained and performed good CS, however we needed one thing greater. Then, after we misplaced in Chengdu and Hong Kong, the one factor left was Budapest, and if we gained that, we wouldn’t care if we had gained the others. 

You wish to win as many trophies as you possibly can, however Budapest is a tremendous trophy to have. I mentioned in different interviews that it’s just like the cherry on prime of the cake, but it surely’s not simply the cherry, it’s the cake itself, the factor folks wish to come and eat. It closed the 12 months so properly and made an announcement for what we’ve accomplished all 12 months in a fair greater vogue.

How did successful in Budapest examine to lifting your first Main trophy in Austin?

I believe that the Austin Main was extra worrying. We have been the favourites, and we went to the event figuring out that if we performed properly, we might win. However, alternatively, you additionally know that many issues can go improper, and that makes it so worrying to go and play in a event like that as the very best workforce on the earth by far. You assume in your head that you simply’ve gained six tournaments up till that time, however should you lose that one, it’s a bit pointless to some extent.

Austin was particular as a result of it was my birthday, a singular day, folks have been singing me comfortable birthday earlier than the match began, and it felt prefer it all aligned. I had plenty of confidence that we have been going to win. In Budapest, there was method much less stress than in Austin. It was good to play like that, being in a giant event however with method much less stress. 

The principle distinction was that with Budapest, there was plenty of grinding and doing issues within the follow room that will solely assist us within the quick time period, not in the long run, due to the participant break. We simply centered on the following match, and actually put emphasis on how we ready and the way we have been going to do stuff, and I believe the coaches did rather well in that.

In Austin, all of us had the identical understanding of how we needed to method each sport and match-up, and to some extent, the playoff bracket in Austin felt a bit more durable. We had NAVI in our first sport, which was fairly shut, then we had MOUZ, then The MongolZ after they have been actually good. In Budapest, we had Spirit who have been robust, however The MongolZ weren’t in type, after which FaZe, they fucked us on Nuke, however we have been far more snug than them on the remainder of the maps.

Budapest may have gone in so many instructions, and all of it got here all the way down to how the bracket would go. That mentioned, I believe we have been in actually good condition and we’d’ve gained whoever we performed, however clearly, they might have accomplished it as properly.

Going again to the second half of final 12 months, you guys have been in so many semi-finals and finals, regardless of not lifting trophies. So, do you assume it was honest that folks criticised you a lot for not successful the occasions?

I believe apEX has mentioned that we fed the followers a bit too properly. We gave them a season that was unforgettable.

I do assume that the criticism was justified to some extent. It’s not the shedding, it’s the way in which we misplaced that made us really feel unhealthy and made followers criticise us. We confirmed a stage that was so excessive, after which we went and performed like noobs. 

That’s the sport to some extent; it’s leisure and esports, and the followers are going to criticize you even should you win and say that you simply’re fortunate. You’ve simply received to take what’s good and what’s unhealthy, and if it is smart, you’ve set to work it out.

At first, we have been taking part in badly within the elimination matches, so some criticism isn’t good as a result of followers lose cash and so they bully you in DMs, however alternatively, it’s simply going to be like that.

It doesn’t change something if the followers wish to be honest or not. Ultimately, it’s simply you and your workforce, and whether or not or not you play good CS. Even this 12 months, whether or not we begin rather well or actually badly, persons are simply going to go on about patterns, the place even when we lose each quarter-final, they’ll nonetheless name us the favourites when it will get to the Main. 

Our efficiency coach at all times emphasises that folks will primarily decide you on how good you’re when instances are robust, so I believe us sticking to the semi-finals at a minimal gave us some room to breathe. If we misplaced earlier on, we’d lose confidence, so attending to the highest 4 after which simply taking part in shit, you continue to get the large image, and it doesn’t depress you. That issues loads in CS. 

Since Budapest, you’ve been named the seventh-best participant on the earth for 2025 by HLTV. How are you feeling about that?

I used to be very proud of it. I used to be pondering that I might get eight or 9 in my head; they at all times ship you the interview just a few days earlier than, so I used to be attempting to estimate it, and getting seven, I used to be actually proud of.

Lots of people have seven as a fortunate quantity, so it’s a cool quantity to have. Subsequent 12 months, my purpose is to get seven once more.

It was your second 12 months in a row coming seventh; would you not wish to go just a little increased?

No, I’m proud of it. Earlier than getting seventh final 12 months, I cared in regards to the prime 20, however not within the sense of the place I’m on the listing. Clearly, the upper you’re, the higher it feels, but when I assist my workforce and we win trophies, any participant on the earth would take what we did final 12 months over being within the prime 20.

I’m proud of it as a result of should you’re within the prime 20, it exhibits your particular person type places your workforce able to win issues. However getting every other quantity wouldn’t change how I really feel. It’s cool to get the higher numbers, however successful trophies is all that actually issues.

Outdoors of donk, you’re the highest-ranked aggressive rifler by fairly a great distance, so what do you assume you’re doing otherwise to the opposite gamers in the identical roles as you?

I believe I’ve an excellent workforce who’re very aligned on the entry aspect of issues. If I die, I get traded actually shortly, so it makes the stats look higher on the web site. Ultimately, we’ve got much more conditions the place we additionally open up websites efficiently, and that’s what modifications the sport and exhibits my influence.

Additionally, apEX as an IGL, he understands entrying so properly as a result of he was an entry himself, so it provides me a bonus once I go into websites as a result of I’ve the boldness that the strats are constructed across the entry pathing. Possibly they’re not there for me to get a kill or do one thing loopy, however for me, gaining the information and making the sacrifice provides me the boldness, and I’m comfortable to do it. Actually, I wish to do it; taking part in passively bores me a bit.

Me doing that offers my workforce plenty of area, so I’m comfortable to do it. Possibly me doing it provides me a bit increased placement, too, as a result of there are gamers that do the opening position higher than me, however I do the entrying position higher than them. Possibly opening is extra meta, as a result of it’s the gamers like xertioN, XANTARES, and so they have extra alternatives to get duels in the beginning of rounds, and so they do it higher than me. Then again, I additionally don’t care as a result of this 12 months I gained extra trophies than them, so if the system works and also you consider it, what occurs is sweet.

I additionally want to contemplate that I’ve actually good gamers round me, so I don’t have to put all the pieces on myself. Placing them in a 2v2, if it’s ropz and ZywOo, or anybody else, as a result of they’re all so good, so long as I kill one on the entry and gave good data earlier than that, my job has been accomplished properly, and I’ve influence no matter stats. That’s what issues, that’s the tradition that we’ve constructed right here. It doesn’t matter if I’m 18-1 or 1-18, so long as I’m giving the identical issues.

Stunning Roster Strikes

Rostermania hasn’t been as busy as plenty of us anticipated it to be, so are you shocked that extra groups haven’t made modifications to attempt to catch as much as you guys?

I don’t assume the sport is to catch as much as us anymore prefer it was again in June. Many groups perceive that they want extra time to construct, and I respect that loads. Some roster modifications again then have been a bit naive; they tried to search out gamers that may exchange folks, and now they’re making modifications once more as a result of these gamers didn’t match.

I believe groups like Falcons, they’ve proven their potential to win; they don’t require change until there’s a difficulty internally. I did count on extra modifications within the prime ten groups, although, however the Spirit roster change, I didn’t count on that in any respect. From figuring out a bit on the within, although, I believe that many have tried to vary however couldn’t purchase gamers or discover replacements they needed. 

What do you consider among the new rosters which have shaped, like Astralis, 100 Thieves, and BC.Recreation?

I believe Astralis going worldwide is an efficient selection for them. It opens up far more alternatives than that they had earlier than, as a result of taking part in in a nationwide workforce, until it’s like The MongolZ, the place you don’t have a vastly aggressive scene, however you do have 5 very aggressive gamers, then it isn’t good.

In Denmark, years in the past, you possibly can’ve performed in that nationwide market, however now the numbers have dwindled, and plenty of the brand new skills are already going to worldwide groups. Everybody in Denmark speaks nice English, and most of their gamers already performed in worldwide rosters. So there may be some adjustment to get used to it, but it surely’s a very good determination.

I don’t bear in mind 100 Thieves’ full roster, however I’ll say that having machine, rain, and gla1ve brings plenty of expertise to nurture gamers into stars. In case you noticed this roster 4 years in the past, it could be legendary, however perhaps now a few of them have misplaced their type and performed in worse groups that we didn’t respect as a lot, however they’re all excellent and skilled.

The final workforce, BC.Recreation, I don’t know who they’ve signed, however I do know they’ve s1mple and electroNic.

They’ve signed a core from SAW. It’s MUTiRiS, aragornN, and krazy.

Oh… okay. 

I don’t know if it’s going to click on; I believe it’s going to conflict a bit. I don’t understand how the Portuguese play and the way they impart, however I assume the tradition can be totally different from what the others are used to. However they’re all professionals; they’ll all adapt and do properly. 

I’d wish to see how it’s, however I believe that this roster looks like they’re nonetheless on the lookout for themselves, and perhaps shopping for a core is an efficient determination as a result of they’ll get extra invitations and get to play in additional tournaments. Possibly that may assist them, but it surely’s as much as them to see in the event that they’re critical about it and never simply being there for enjoyable.

You mentioned the Spirit modifications shocked you. Why was that?

zont1x coming in was a bit extra anticipated, however chopper going out and magixx IGLing got here out of nowhere. Particularly as a result of all the pieces occurred so shortly after the Main ended.

magixx IGLing, it’s the identical as when Vitality did it with apEX and when MOUZ did it with Brollan, you don’t know what to anticipate, it might be actually good or unhealthy, however a lot of the latest IGLs work round it rather well.

I simply didn’t count on that type of change. I believed they’d keep on with chopper, after which see relating to zweih, magixx, and zont1x in the event that they assume somebody is healthier there. However I’m excited to see it, I can’t wait to see how they play, and each workforce with donk goes to be aggressive. They might have a very good 12 months if it goes properly, even when it’d appear to be a downgrade on paper. 

On the finish of the day, you construct for the long run, not the quick time period. They may have a tough begin, however the Main is what issues, and so they’ll have a very good understanding of what they should do to be good by then. They’ve all performed collectively, too, so it’s not like it is going to be a shock assault or something loopy. So long as they alter, they are often actually good.

Trying Forward to 2026

Waiting for this 12 months, you’ve gained a Grand Slam and back-to-back Majors, so what’s subsequent for you when it comes to objectives?

As at all times, you will have private objectives and workforce objectives. As a workforce, I believe we’re in a stage the place we don’t look again. Final 12 months isn’t a benchmark; it’s unrealistic, and if it did change into practical, we’d be very proud of that. As a substitute, we’ll simply stay up for regaining our type in the beginning of the 12 months and peaking on the good tournaments like Krakow and Cologne, particularly. 

The purpose is to play good CS, as at all times, however the dream is to win as many trophies as we are able to. We simply have to rebuild once more and maintain our belief in one another, and for that, we have to refine all the pieces and maintain enhancing.

On a private stage, I’d wish to get seven on HLTV this 12 months, too, as a result of then I’d have the jackpot quantity. However that’s not that essential. 

Given all the pieces that you simply achieved final 12 months, how do you handle expectations for this 12 months?

It’s primarily that we don’t examine ourselves to 2025, we simply have to take a look at the current and go off that. Many issues can change; there are huge query marks as a result of we haven’t even practised but. We all know what works for us, so we wish to give attention to the method fairly than the outcomes. We don’t wish to give ourselves stress that isn’t wanted.

Do you assume it’s attainable to match final 12 months’s efficiency and even surpass it?

In case you got here to me in 2024 and instructed me what would occur in 2025, I wouldn’t assume it was practical. After 2025, although, even when it doesn’t really feel that method, it may occur; you by no means know. 

To get there, you simply need to consider in your self and do your finest in each second, as a result of apart from that, you don’t have management over what occurs. If Spirit comes and donk drops a 2.00 ranking with sh1ro additionally taking part in rather well, or every other workforce with insane gamers, it may be random to some extent. However we hope that even when we lose, we don’t have remorse and simply know that we misplaced to a greater workforce than us. 

It might be practical, it might be far off, who is aware of? We gained 30 matches in a row, 33 or 34 best-of-threes, seven tournaments in a row, however earlier than that, should you requested anybody within the scene, then nobody would have anticipated anybody to tug that off. 

Assuming you assume you’re the very best workforce on the earth proper now, who do you assume are the largest threats?

We have been the very best workforce in 2025, however proper now we have to battle for that title once more. The whole lot might be totally different after the break.

FURIA have proven a very excessive peak, though they haven’t crushed everybody but. However that’s a query mark you at all times have whenever you haven’t but beaqten everybody, since you surprise should you actually are the very best or not. They want these matchups, however I nonetheless assume they’ll be contending.

MOUZ, I don’t know. They might be actually good, however they might be extra common within the prime 5 like final season. Spirit, I’m excited to see. Falcons will at all times be a menace and might be the very best workforce on the earth for some time, and The MongolZ will at all times have a case, too, so long as their new participant suits.

You didn’t point out FaZe there. Do you assume you’ll see them extra this 12 months after their Main run, or was {that a} one-off in your eyes?

Having Twistzz of their roster will give them much more, they’ll be in much more playoffs for positive. If broky and jcobbb additionally replicate their performances, they’ll be far more aggressive and may even seize just a few trophies, but when they don’t, it’ll be loads harder. 

They’ve a very good workforce, and so they’re actually good at Nuke, however after they got here to the Main, they have been nonetheless a brand new workforce, so we didn’t see that a lot. There’s plenty of potential there, but it surely’s exhausting to inform whether or not it’s a honeymoon or if the workforce is definitely actually stable. 

We simply have to see extra of them, as a result of FaZe have had actually good rosters and been shit, and had unhealthy rosters and been good, however they’re at all times a workforce that, in the event that they get to playoffs, will at all times be harmful. The lower-level groups cope with FaZe higher, but it surely’s at all times shut when the higher-level groups play them. You by no means know with them.