Following the official announcement that he would join Vitality as a substitute to compete in the BLAST Porto event and the PGL Bucharest Major, jL uploaded a video to his personal channel explaining his reasons for joining Vitality and why he did not sign with other teams during the off-season.
jL: Hello everyone, I'm jL. As the video title suggests, I have joined Team Vitality. Today, I'd like to share with you the reasons behind my decision to join Vitality and the full story behind it. Now that I am officially a member of Vitality, the team logo that was covered by a towel in previous videos can finally be revealed.
jL: Both apEX's and mezii's wives are pregnant, and they are both about to welcome their children. One of their due dates falls exactly during the BLAST Porto event, which is held in Portugal and is also one of the tournaments I will be competing in; meanwhile, apEX's child is due in October, which coincides with the PGL Bucharest Major.
Therefore, if everything goes according to plan, I am confirmed to compete at the BLAST Open in Porto, Portugal, and PGL Bucharest in Romania. Additionally, I still have a chance to play at EWC, most likely during the knockout stage—provided mezii's child is born early; there is also a possibility of competing in EPL or other events, but nothing is fully confirmed yet. In short, there are two tournaments I am definitely playing, while the rest depend on the situation.
mezii and his pregnant wife
apEX and his pregnant wife
jL: Additionally, I'd like to briefly update you on my current situation and explain why I haven't signed with any tier 1, tier 2, or tier 3 teams so far. The reason is actually quite simple: we couldn't agree on several contract terms. I really wanted to return to a tier 1 roster and get back into competitive play. I had the chance to come back last winter, and again this summer, but sometimes things just don't work out as planned. Now, however, I have the opportunity to play alongside ZywOo, ropz, mezii, flameZ, and apEX, which means I've truly realized my dream.
When I first entered the professional scene, I already knew of ZywOo, ropz, and s1mple. I always wanted to compete against s1mple, and that wish eventually came true—I got to play alongside the GOAT himself, which was a truly eye-opening experience.
These days, I really want to closely observe the playstyles of ZywOo and ropz, and also see how flameZ, who is highly likely to win Entry Fragger of the Year, plays; as for apEX, I want to figure out why he has become such an outstanding in-game leader, and how mezii has grown into the Anchor of the Year.
2025 Best Team Vitality
jL: I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity. Vitality reached out to me first, and they were quite surprised that I hadn't signed with a main roster team yet. They asked about my current status, and I told them I was still a free agent. When they asked why I hadn't signed yet, I honestly shared the details with them—after all, it felt more like an open conversation between brothers. In the end, they expressed how thrilled they were to have me join. Just like that, I finally realized my dream of playing on the same team as my favorite player. As for how it turns out, let's wait and see.
I'm currently in great form. Viewers who have watched my streams know that I've had matches with 20, 30, or even 35 kills. Of course, there are occasional slumps where I only manage zero or five kills in a game, but that's just how CS is—it has its ups and downs. Most importantly, I hope to step into the roles of mezii and apEX and become a competent substitute.
Of course, I don't intend to copy them exactly, but rather bring in my own elements, such as making proactive pushes at the right moments. I won't be as aggressive as apEX, but as the team begins its preparation for the EWC, I will observe the training sessions, learn how we coordinate, communicate with my teammates, and get familiar with each other as quickly as possible to integrate more smoothly into our system. Right after the EWC, we have the BLAST Porto event—it kicks off in Copenhagen, and if we qualify for the playoffs, we'll head to the beautiful city of Porto, Portugal, to face Liquid there.
jL, who previously served as a substitute for Liquid
jL: All in all, my goal is to be a great teammate and substitute, while also bringing some of my own style to the team. Additionally, if you want to see vlogs, remember to like the videos. I know flameZ himself is also very keen on making vlogs, so we might create some content together. I might take you behind the scenes with players like ZywOo and ropz, showing sides of them that you rarely get to see, and presenting them from a different perspective. If you have any ideas for content you'd like to see me collaborate on with flameZ or anyone else, feel free to leave a comment below the video, and don't forget to like it. From now on, I am Vitality player jL. Although I'm currently a substitute, it's still better than being benched or a free agent. So, I'm back. Thank you all for watching.