(AsiaGameHub) –   On Sunday night, Team Vitality emerged victorious in the IEM Rio grand final, defeating Team Spirit with a clean 3-0 sweep. This win marks the organization’s fourth championship of the 2026 season and earns them a second straight ESL Grand Slam.

According to the team, this achievement establishes their Counter-Strike squad as the first ever to secure consecutive ESL Grand Slams. The Rio triumph followed earlier ESL competition wins at IEM Dallas 2025, ESL Pro League 2025, and IEM Kraków 2026, finalizing the Grand Slam requirement and granting a $1,000,000 bonus.

The IEM Rio event, which included 16 teams, was held before a live audience in Brazil. Vitality’s lineup—consisting of Dan “apEX” Madesclaire, Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut, Robin “ropz” Kool, William “mezii” Merriman, and Shahar “flameZ” Shushan—progressed through the playoffs with 2-0 victories over NAVI and FURIA, despite losing one map earlier in the event to G2.

Vitality announced that Herbaut received the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award. The organization also stated that Kool is now the first player to win three ESL Grand Slam titles in a row, noting his prior Grand Slam victory with FaZe Clan in Season 4.

“We are maintaining the high standards set in 2025 throughout 2026, accumulating wins. During this tournament, I observed a team having fun and competing not just for victory, but with the goal of making history by becoming the sole organization to secure two ESL Grand Slams. It is important to note that merely five teams have ever won one, underscoring the magnitude of this accomplishment,” explains Fabien “Neo” Devide, co-founder of Team Vitality. “This is a defining moment for these remarkable players and the club’s heritage. They are positioning Team Vitality as not just the top CS2 club globally, but potentially among the finest ever. We are in a remarkable period. We must remain grounded and savor it.”