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ZywOo

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ZywOo
ZywOo at the Intel Extreme Masters 2019 in Chicago
Current team
TeamTeam Vitality
RoleAwper
GamesCounter-Strike 2
Personal information
NameMathieu Herbaut
Born (2000-11-09) 9 November 2000 (age 24)
NationalityFrench
Team history
2018–presentTeam Vitality
Career highlights and awards

Mathieu Herbaut (born 9 November 2000),[1] better known as ZywOo, is a French professional Counter-Strike player for Team Vitality. He is considered one of the best players in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive history, having been ranked the No. 1 player in the world by HLTV in 2019, 2020 and 2023.[2][3] He is the youngest ever HLTV Player of the Year at 19 years old,[4] and only the second player after coldzera to be named the HLTV Player of the Year in their first full year as a professional player.[5] He is also sometimes nicknamed "The Chosen One" due to being born on the day of the original Counter-Strike game's commercial release.[6]

Early life

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He started playing at age seven with his brother, but was only allowed to play for less than an hour per day by his mother. After becoming a teenager, he still never "played in the middle of the night" or "did 4-5 hour sessions", his family always keeping an eye on what he was doing.[7] His mother also encouraged him to get into video games, and from time to time even played with him. But before allowing him to participate in esports, she demanded that he first finish his secondary education and acquire his baccalauréat, which he did.[8]

Career

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2018

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After completing his baccalauréat, Mathieu was able to take up esports professionally, joining Team Vitality in October.[9] The results came quickly, as they won DreamHack Open Atlanta 2018 in November. The next month, he and his team qualified for the minor qualifier for the next Major, Katowice Major 2019. In the Minors, Vitality landed in second place, securing a spot for the Major in Katowice.

2019

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The results of ZywOo and his team were not that brilliant in the Majors: as they ended up finishing in 9-11th in Katowice Major 2019 and then a 5-8th place in StarLadder Berlin Major 2019. They still went on to win in two top-tier tournaments of the season, ECS Season 7 Finals and EPICENTER 2019, and finished second twice at ESL One Cologne 2019 and DreamHack Masters Malmö 2019.

Mathieu's individual stats were impressive for that year: he finished MVP 5 times and had a 1.30 overall rating in LAN events. In January 2020, Mathieu Herbaut was chosen as the World's Best Player of the Year 2019 by HLTV.org, thus becoming the first French and the youngest player to receive this award since its inception in 2010, and matching Marcelo 'coldzera' David's feat of receiving it in his first full year as a professional player.[2][10]

2020

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During 2020, many tournaments either transitioned to an online format or did not take place, due to COVID-19. Mathieu became the #1 player on HLTV.org's ranking for the second time in a row, with Natus Vincere's Oleksandr 's1mple' Kostyliev, and Nicolai 'device' Reedtz from Astralis behind him.[3][10]

2021

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After qualifying for the PGL Major Stockholm 2021, Team Vitality would lose against Natus Vincere during the quarter finals, and place 5th in the major.[11] He was ranked the 2nd best player of 2021 by HLTV, with s1mple claiming the #1 spot.[12][13]

2022

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Team Vitality dropped out of the PGL Major Antwerp 2022 on day 5, losing against Heroic.[14] He was ranked the 2nd best player of 2022 by HLTV, with s1mple claiming the #1 spot.[15][16]

2023

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He received the MVP in Blast Paris Major 2023, the tournament that Team Vitality won against GamerLegion, beating them 2–0 in the final. ZywOo was awarded his sixteenth MVP award following Vitality's victory over ENCE in the grand finals of Gamers8 2023.[17]

Awards and recognition

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  • #1 player of 2019 by HLTV.[2]
  • #1 player of 2020 by HLTV.[3]
  • #2 player of 2021 by HLTV.[13]
  • #2 player of 2022 by HLTV.[16]
  • #1 player of 2023 by HLTV.[18]
  • 20 HLTV MVP medals.[10]

References

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  1. ^ Biazzi, Leonardo (20 June 2019). "Twelve top CS:GO players who are younger than the franchise itself". Dot Esports. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  2. ^ a b c "Top 20 players of 2019: ZywOo (1)". HLTV.org. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  3. ^ a b c "Top 20 players of 2020: ZywOo (1)". HLTV.org. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  4. ^ "HLTV names 'ZywOo' player of the year". Reuters. 20 January 2020. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  5. ^ "HLTV NO. 1 PLAYERS THROUGH THE YEARS". hltv.org. 13 January 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  6. ^ "Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe 2021: Youngest". Forbes. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  7. ^ Herbaut, Mathieu (2 February 2020). "Jeux vidéo : Mathieu Herbaut, alias ZywOo, élu n°1 mondial sur Counter strike, ne «peut pas avoir mieux»" [Video games: Mathieu Herbaut, alias ZywOo, elected world n ° 1 on Counter strike, "can not get better"]. Le Parisien (Interview) (in French). Interviewed by Christophe Goudaillier. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  8. ^ "Esport. Qui est Mathieu Herbaut alias Zywoo, réélu meilleur joueur du monde sur Counter-Strike" [Esport. Who is Mathieu Herbaut alias Zywoo, re-elected best player in the world on Counter-Strike]. Ouest-France (in French). 20 January 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  9. ^ Villanueva, Jamie (8 October 2018). "Team Vitality enters CS:GO, signs a French roster featuring NBK, apEX, and ZywOo". Dot Esports. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  10. ^ a b c "Mathieu 'ZywOo' Herbaut". HLTV.org. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  11. ^ "NAVI win CSGO PGL Major Stockholm 2021". Dexerto. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  12. ^ "Top 20 players of 2021: Introduction". HLTV.org. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  13. ^ a b "Top 20 players of 2021: ZywOo (2)". HLTV.org. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  14. ^ "FaZe wins PGL CSGO Major Antwerp 2022: Recap & full results". Dexerto. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  15. ^ "Top 20 players of 2022: Introduction". HLTV.org. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  16. ^ a b "Top 20 players of 2022: ZywOo (2)". HLTV.org. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  17. ^ "ZywOo named MVP of Gamers8 2023". HLTV. 20 August 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  18. ^ "TOP 20 PLAYERS OF 2023: ZYWOO (1)". HLTV.org. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
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