Exclusive Team Vitality Interview with Stake
We recently caught up with the Esports Legends and Stake Ambassadors from Team Vitality to discuss all the latest news and insights in the Esports World including the CS2 Academy!
About the CS2 Academy
It’s been a couple of years since Team Vitality first planned the academy project. Why did it take so long?
It took a couple of years because we didn’t want to launch something average. An academy only makes sense if it genuinely develops players for Tier 1, which requires the right people, the right methodology, and a real connection to the main roster. For a long time, those conditions weren’t fully in place. However, once we felt we could build something consistent and challenging, we decided to move forward.
The current roster has already been practising together for several months before the official announcement. Was this delay due to long-term planning and securing funding, or was it more about the internal development of the project?
We wanted to run the project in real conditions before making it public. Those months were key to testing player dynamics, adjusting our training structure, and building daily habits. By the time we announced the team, it was already fully functioning, which is important for credibility, both internally and externally.
Pablo Escobar supposedly has no prior competitive or coaching experience, if I’m correct. How did he end up becoming the Head Coach of the team?
We didn’t select Pablo Escobar based on a traditional coaching background. We chose him for his ability to structure, communicate, and build a performance-driven environment. At academy level, coaching isn’t only about tactics - it’s about helping players grow, both individually and collectively. Pablo has strong fundamentals in this area, and we are developing him as a coach in the same way we develop our players. On top of that, he was already working daily with XTQZZZ and Math as an analyst for the main roster.
How are responsibilities divided between the manager, Matthieu Péché, and the Head Coach, Pablo Escobar?
The division of responsibilities between Matthieu Péché and Pablo Escobar is very clearly defined and complementary. Pablo, as Head Coach, focuses on the game itself: system, team identity, and individual player progression, whilst Matthieu Péché, as Manager, handles everything around performance - including environment, discipline, daily structure, player support, and the connection with the organisation.
In short, the Manager’s role is to ensure players are in the best possible conditions to perform and improve every day, while the Head Coach focuses on the game.
What is the expected timeline for promoting or selling players from the Vitality Academy roster? The project will obviously take time to develop players, but do you have a rough estimate?
We don’t work with fixed deadlines; we work with levels. In general, the first phase is about building strong fundamentals and establishing a clear identity. From there, over time, players progressively reach a level where moving to Tier 1 or high-level Tier 2 becomes realistic. If a player is ready earlier, we move quickly. If more time is needed, we stay patient and continue investing in their development.
On the players
Katkame is ZywOo’s HLTV Top 20 Bold Prediction for 2026. Could you tell us a bit more about Katkame? For instance, he seems to be a different type of AWPer compared to ZywOo.
Katkame is a very structured AWPer. In comparison to Mathieu "ZywOo" Herbaut, Katkame is currently more methodical and less instinct-driven, with a strong sense of positioning and timing. He has a high ceiling because he combines discipline with solid mechanics. The next step for him is to increase his impact and confidence as the pace of the game increases.
Reqqen is a promising Estonian player, but despite still being young and developing, people are saying he may not be the easiest to work with. Are these rumours somewhat true?
We don’t work with rumours. What matters to us is what we observe every day in our training environment. Reqqen is a demanding player, especially with himself, and our role at Team Vitality is to help him structure that intensity and turn it into consistent performance.
We want to create real exposure, not just theoretical links. That means giving academy players access to the standards of the main team through shared experiences, regular interactions with players and staff, and exposure to high-level feedback. The objective is to make the gap visible and understandable, and then support the players in closing it step by step.
Lucaz is already listed as a substitute for the main team. Is he more ready than the other academy players individually, in terms of personality and maturity?
Lucaz is not necessarily the most stable player across every aspect, but he is currently the most suited to step in as a substitute for the main roster. He has the skillset and role understanding that allow him to adapt more quickly to that environment. Being in that position is also part of his development, as it exposes him directly to the demands and expectations of Tier 1.
