Team Vitality and the Second Grand Slam: How the French Organization Rewrote Counter-Strike History
ESL Grand Slam — самое трудное достижение в Counter-Strike. Набрать его один раз — исторически. Набрать дважды подряд — по-прежнему невозможно. Точнее, было невозможно до IEM Rio 2026.
3:0 против Spirit в финале IEM Rio — Vitality сыграли на абсолютном пике в самый важный момент
In April 2026, Team Vitality won IEM Rio at Farmasi Arena, crushing Team Spirit 3-0 in the grand final. The $1 million tournament marked the second consecutive ESL Grand Slam — an achievement no Counter-Strike team had ever accomplished.
What Is the ESL Grand Slam
The ESL Grand Slam requires winning four major ESL events within a single season. It demands sustained excellence over months of competition, not just a single hot streak.
Why This Is Historic
Even Astralis at their 2018-2019 peak never achieved back-to-back Grand Slams. Vitality did it facing a stronger competitive field: Team Spirit, The MongolZ, G2 Esports — all in peak form.
The Final vs Team Spirit
A 3-0 against Spirit is a statement. Spirit are a top-3 team of 2025-2026. Vitality played at their absolute ceiling in the most important match of the season.
What Comes Next
Can Vitality win a third Grand Slam? History said two was impossible. History was wrong once already.