Vitality have secured the ESL Grand Slam after taking down Team Spirit in the IEM Rio 2026 grand finals. The organization has not only become the first to ever win two seasons of the Grand Slam, but have also managed to do so back-to-back following their triumphant 2025 run. The achievement also gives Vitality their biggest edge over Astralis’ 2018-19 resume, further cementing their claim to the Greatest Team of All Time crown.
Vitality wrap up the Grand Slam ahead of IEM Cologne Major 2026
At the top of Vitality’s agenda, following the Major invites cutoff, was the Grand Slam before Cologne, so as to not pile on added pressure of the million dollar prize to the already intense Major-battle. To give themselves the best shot at that goal, the team even signed up for IEM Atlanta, in contrast to most of their peers who chose PGL Astana instead.
Much like IEM Melbourne 2025, where Vitality were pushed to five maps in the finals against Falcons, the team looked under more pressure than usual at Rio. Not only did they lose their map win streak against G2, but lost the seeding game to Falcons, shattering their series win streak as well. But much like prime Astralis’ Major runs, once the playoffs kicked off, Vitality were operating at a different level.
The team first battered NAVI, the team often touted as the potential Vitality-killers thanks to their Map Pool. Then took down FURIA in two maps, denying Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo any chance at one last home event win. And finally, Vitality swept Spirit in the finals, with an overtime affair on Mirage being the closest their opponents came to toppling them.
Vitality’s Road to the ESL Grand Slam:
- IEM Dallas 2025 (3-0 MOUZ)
- ESL Pro League S22 (3-0 Falcons)
- IEM Kraków 2026 (3-1 FURIA)
- IEM Rio 2026 (3-0 Spirit)
ropz wins his third Grand Slam in a row
While Vitality is celebrating their second Grand Slam in a row, their 2025 star-signing, Robin “ropz” Kool, has also achieved a new record for an individual. The Estonian has become the first played to bag three Grand Slams, showcasing both his incredible individual level, and his impact on team dynamics.Across FaZe’s 2022-23 run, and Vitality’s era of dominance in 2025-26, ropz has slowly built an incredible resume that puts him at par with, if not ahead of, most of the game’s greats.
While the player may not stack up individually with the likes of prime Nikola “NiKo” Kovač, he has undoubtedly blossomed into one of the best riflers in the game’s history. The third Grand Slam puts him in a class of one, something not even his four-time Major champion captain, Dan “apEX” Madesclaire, can compete with.
What’s next for Vitality?
While the team is toeing the party line in interviews, and focusing their energies primarily on the upcoming IEM Cologne Major 2026, the topic of a potential third Grand Slam has already entered the conversation. With the team winning IEM Rio, they now have the opportunity to kickstart their next campaign at IEM Atlanta itself.
And the schedule has transpired perfectly to allow the next Grand Slam to conclude within 2026 itself. If Vitality were to attempt that feat, they would need to conquer all remaining ESL events in the year:
- IEM Atlanta 2026
- IEM Cologne Major 2026 (Championship-tier Event)
- ESL Pro League Season 24
- IEM China 2026
Historical trends would point against two Grand Slam wins in a year, but then again no team had managed to win back-to-back Grand Slams before either. If Vitality’s form, especially with all three stars putting up MVP performances, continues there’s no stopping this team from setting an impossibly high standard for Counter-Strike dominance.
