In an exciting roster move, Team Vitality has officially welcomed British player William “mezii” Merriman to their ranks, confirming his signing from fnatic.
The 25-year-old rifler is set to make his debut later this month, joining the lineup for the BLAST Premier Fall Final.
This acquisition marks the second change to Vitality’s team since the release of Counter-Strike 2, following the return of Rémy “XTQZZZ” Quoniam as head coach last month.
Mezii steps into the shoes of Emil “Magisk” Reif, who is reportedly close to joining Falcons.
Super excited to announce that I'll be joining @TeamVitality ! 🙌
I'm so pumped to begin this new journey with these guys and spend countless hours grinding CS2 together 💪 https://t.co/wYWrE8Lo6Z— MEZII' (@kingmezii) November 8, 2023
The move sees mezii taking on the role previously held by Magisk, a player integral to Vitality’s success, including their victory in the BLAST Paris Major and an 18-week stint as the world’s No.1 team.
From a statistical perspective, mezii is expected to seamlessly replace Magisk, and his track record supports this transition.
Despite sometimes flying under the radar on the playing field, mezii is recognized as an experienced player with the capacity to adapt to any situation.
Mezii’s professional journey dates back to 2017, gaining significant attention during his tenure with Cloud9’s “Colossus” roster in September 2020.
His prowess as the standout player on the team has since led him to Endpoint in 2021 and, more recently, fnatic in August 2021.
Mezii showcased his leadership skills as the in-game leader and later transitioned into a star rifler role.
Now, on Team Vitality, mezii faces the challenge of filling Magisk’s shoes, particularly in the anchor roles on the CT side.
Magisk’s contributions were pivotal in securing notable victories, including the BLAST Paris Major.
Mezii’s task will be to prove his versatility once again and contribute to Vitality’s continued success in the competitive CS2 scene.
The team is gearing up for the BLAST Premier Fall Final in Copenhagen from November 22–26, with an eye on the BLAST Premier World Final scheduled for December 13–17 in Abu Dhabi.