Counter-Strike participant ZywOo turns into L’Équipe cowl star

French Counter-Strike 2 esports participant Mathieu ‘ZywOo‘ Herbaut is ready to seem on the entrance cowl of French sports activities journal L’Équipe.

The Crew Vitality AWPer is one among France’s most profitable esports gamers, successful three Counter-Strike Majors and a number of other Tier 1 tournaments

Unveiled because the journal’s cowl star for February 18th, ZywOo turns into the newest esports participant to seem on one among France’s longest-standing sports activities publications. In January 2025, League of Legends participant Caliste ‘Caliste’ Henry-Hennebert appeared on the journal’s cowl as a part of L’Équipe’s increasing protection of esports within the nation.

Based in 1946, L’Équipe is a each day newspaper specializing in all sports activities and is finest identified for its protection in soccer, biking, and motorsport. Since December 2025, it has lined France’s esports scene, highlighting the nation’s gamers and groups competing in quite a lot of worldwide occasions throughout a spread of titles.

2026 marks ZywOo’s twelfth 12 months of competing in Counter-Strike esports. Since 2018, the 25-year-old has represented Crew Vitality, which has cemented its place because the world’s finest Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) staff over the previous 12 months.

Over the previous 12 months, the staff has received 11 Tier 1 tournaments and Season 5 of ESL Grand Slam, an incentive awarding groups that win 4 high-profile occasions with a $1m (~£738,200) prize. Along with a wealth of in-game success, ZywOo has joined forces with the likes of Pulsar and ASUS ROG to launch a spread of esports peripherals.

Lately, France has continued to increase its concentrate on esports by growing the nation’s attraction to event organisers seeking to host occasions within the nation. 2023 noticed its authorities reveal plans to create a nationwide ecosystem designed to assist the trade and help gamers in securing visas for worldwide tournaments.

In 2025, 12 notable French organisations shaped the French Union of Skilled Esports Golf equipment with the purpose of elevating consciousness of esports and aiding with trade growth. On February seventh, 2026, the union introduced its software to develop into a associate staff for the inaugural Esports Nations Cup happening in November.

For the reason that reveal of France’s nationwide esports technique, a number of high-profile tournaments have taken place. Most just lately, Ubisoft hosted the Six Invitational on the Adidas Area in Paris.

With ZywOo changing into the newest esports participant to characteristic on L’Équipe, it’s clear to see that France is embracing esports as groups and gamers from the nation proceed to search out success.