flameZ Ranked 7th in HLTV Top 20 Players of 2025

Vitality player Shahar “flameZ” Shushan has secured 7th place in the HLTV Top 20 Players of 2025, marking one of the strongest individual achievements of his career and highlighting his consistency throughout the season.

Together with Vitality, flameZ enjoyed an outstanding year, winning a total of nine tournaments. Among the most notable victories were the BLAST Austin Major and the StarLadder Budapest Major, where the team showcased dominant form against the world’s best opponents. Over the course of 2025, flameZ finished the season with an average rating of 1.12, a key factor in his high placement on the HLTV list.

As part of HLTV’s traditional “Bold Prediction” segment, flameZ also named a rising talent he believes has significant potential. His choice was Metizport player Liam “MaiL09” Tugel, whom he encountered in FACEIT matches and communicated with outside official games.

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According to flameZ, MaiL09 stood out due to his genuine attitude and curiosity, qualities he considers extremely important for long-term growth. He emphasized that the player takes criticism calmly, even from non-professional players, and does not show signs of ego or star mentality. flameZ also praised MaiL09’s mechanical skill, adding that his inconsistent results in Metizport could be explained by the fact that he was not always playing in roles that fully suited him.