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The Esports World Cup 2025 wrapped up in Riyadh this weekend, and while Falcons didn’t manage to lift the trophy on home soil, they did bounce back to claim a podium finish with a strong 2–1 win over Vitality in the third-place decider.

For Falcons, the victory wasn’t just about bragging rights, it also brought in valuable VRS points, a confidence boost after their semi-final stumble, and a tidy US$130,000 prize. Vitality, meanwhile, had to settle for fourth place and US$70,000.

A Back-and-Forth Start

The series kicked off on Inferno, Vitality’s map pick. Falcons started hot, racing to an 8–4 lead at the half. But things quickly flipped when William “mezii” Merriman powered Vitality’s T-side with a standout 2.92 rating, helping them storm back and close the map 13–9.

Falcons Hit Back on Train

With their pick of Train, Falcons looked determined not to repeat their semi-final heartbreak against Aurora. They came out swinging, putting up a blistering 9–3 attacking half before closing the map 13–3. It was one-way traffic, and Vitality struggled to find any answers.

But before the result was sealed, fans were treated to a cheeky moment of brilliance from Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut, who pulled off a sneaky ninja defuse in one of the early rounds. It was the kind of play that had the crowd roaring and social media buzzing.

Still, the highlight couldn’t stop Falcons’ momentum as they cruised through the rest of the map.

Dominance on Nuke

That momentum carried into the decider on Nuke. Falcons didn’t let up, once again steamrolling Vitality with another 13–3 finish. The French side could only watch as frustration set in, captain Dan “apEX” Madesclaire was even seen with his head in his hands as Falcons shut the door on any comeback hopes.

The star of the show was Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov, who delivered an MVP-worthy performance with 54 kills, a +29 K/D, and a 1.70 rating across the series. Backing him up was Nikola “NiKo” Kovač, who racked up 53 kills of his own and underlined just how much this win meant for the team.

“This game was super important for us, for the VRS points, and for our confidence as well,” NiKo said after the match. “The game yesterday was very tough, especially on Train, so I’m glad we didn’t end on that note and had the opportunity to show better CS today.”

The Bigger Picture

The Esports World Cup 2025, held from August 20–24 at Boulevard Riyadh City, brought together 16 of the world’s best Counter-Strike 2 teams for a massive US$1.25 million prize pool. While Falcons couldn’t deliver the ultimate win for their home crowd, a third-place finish still ensures they walk away with momentum heading into the next leg of the season.

Vitality, on the other hand, leave Riyadh with more questions than answers. Once seen as one of the favourites, the French side struggled to find form, and their reliance on mezii’s bursts of brilliance wasn’t enough to carry them past this weekend.