Vitality secures 2-0 victory at StarSeries with mezii’s return
The French CS2 powerhouse gets their British rifler back and immediately looks like the team that won back-to-back Majors in 2025
Team Vitality picked up a clean 2-0 win at the StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026 tournament in Barcelona, and the timing couldn’t have been better. The victory came on the same day William “mezii” Merriman slotted back into the roster after a stint on the sidelines, giving one of Counter-Strike 2’s most decorated lineups a much-needed jolt of confidence.
The full roster, finally
Mezii, a 27-year-old British rifler, had been out of the active lineup after being temporarily replaced by Justinas “jL” Lekavičius. The swap was driven by other commitments rather than performance issues, but the absence was felt nonetheless.
Since joining Vitality in November 2023, mezii has been a core part of the squad’s identity. He was there for the back-to-back Major victories in 2025 and the string of S-tier titles that made Vitality look borderline unstoppable for stretches of last year.
Vitality’s recent results without their full five have been uneven, and the team reached the top four at BLAST Open Fall 2026 only to get bounced in the semifinals by MOUZ.
With mezii back alongside in-game leader Dan “apEX” Madesclaire, superstar AWPer Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut, and the ever-reliable Robin “ropz” Kool, the lineup is complete again.
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StarSeries and the $500K stage
The StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026 tournament runs from September 17 to 20 in Barcelona, carrying a prize pool of $500,000.
Context: the weight of 2025’s success
Vitality accumulated over 20 S-tier trophies, three Major titles, and two consecutive ESL Grand Slams, confirming its status as one of the most successful teams in gaming history. The team also achieved seven consecutive event wins early in 2025 before facing challenges in 2026, including early tournament exits and roster adjustments.
The BLAST Open Fall semifinal loss to MOUZ was a prime example of 2026’s inconsistency. The jL substitution period added another variable, as mezii’s absence disrupted a lineup built around a specific set of roles and chemistry developed since November 2023.