Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut and Dan “apEX” Madesclaire have extended their contracts with Vitality through the end of 2028, the pair told HLTV.
Both players have been with the organisation for almost eight years, starting in its all-French roster before the current international lineup was assembled around them. Vitality have been the team to beat since adding Robin “ropz” Kool in January 2025, a run that has produced 14 trophies, Major titles in Austin and Budapest, and two Intel Grand Slams.
“The most obvious re-signs ever”
The extensions come after a comparatively flat end to the season by the team's standards, including a loss in the online portion of BLAST Bounty, and against the disruption of Justinas “jL” Lekavicius joining as a temporary stand-in. Both players said an exit was never under consideration.
I think it was the most logical thing. I didn't even think about it, in my brain I was just, 'We're going to re-sign with Vitality.' I think it was just the most obvious re-signs ever.
apEX, who in-game leads the side as well as playing, said his form settled the question.
I didn't see myself stopping at the end of the year, so with the team we have and the level I'm still showing, both as the IGL and as just an individual, I just feel like I'm still there.
The two never discussed the extension with each other. “That's pretty funny, because we haven't talked about it, but we knew that we would do it without a doubt, that we would not leave this team,” apEX said. “We are just too comfortable playing together and with this lineup overall.”
Longevity and legacy
At 33, apEX is among the longest-serving players still competing at the top of Counter-Strike, and the deal takes him close to 36. With Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo having announced his impending retirement, apEX said stepping away had not crossed his mind.
I didn't know that I would last that long. I thought that around my 30s, I would be done. But now with playing more and just giving my best on a daily basis, I just feel like it's just been normal for me to sign again.
He has previously said that being considered one of the best is something he wants, telling HLTV as much in April 2025. He now frames it as a question for others to settle. “They can say karrigan is the best, they can say gla1ve was the best. I have no problem with that, they can have their own arguments. But I think I need to be in the talk.”
ZywOo, 25, has spent his entire tier-one career at Vitality and the extension leaves open the prospect of him finishing as a one-club player. “That's not something I was thinking about when I joined CS,” he said. “But when you think more about it, about what I can achieve with only one club and not moving, it means something at the end.”
On the team's form, ZywOo said the drop-off was understandable after 18 months of sustained results and that the squad was not worried. “Now we are struggling a little bit more, but we're going to find the solution for it,” he said. “We know we are not that far.”
