Eight EU LCS trophies. Yellow and orange against black and white. Old Kings against New Kings. Rekkles facing PerkZ. Fnatic versus G2 Esports. It was perhaps one of the most hyped finals in EU LCS history, but once the games kicked off on the Rift at the sold-out Royal Copenhagen Arena, the focus quickly switched away from the almighty organization who dominated European League of Legends for the past two years.

With G2’s Nexus exploding for a third and final time, suddenly, it was all about Bwipo, the rookie, the unproven player, the incognita, who played like it was his 50th time on the big arena, showing an unnatural calmness and thrive – something truly remarkable for a player who still was an unknown a little more than a month ago.

It was all about Broxah, the hometown star. The huge shield to keep his team-mates away from any harm, while creating openings to create ever so small advantages that usually happened to snowball into something irreversible. A true team player, who gives his life without hesitation if that means Fnatic will come out on top.

It was also all about Caps. The triumph in Copenhagen finally made even the most skeptical fans or analysts realize, that, one year after his debut for Fnatic, he matured into a player of his own, whose unique characteristic and talents put the so called “Baby Faker” as the next in-line to enter the pantheon of Europe’s titans in the mid lane, after dismantling and completely outplaying none other than PerkZ, he himself a member of that very exclusive club.

And also don’t forget about Hylissang, maybe the unsung hero of this Fnatic line-up, the only new member coming to the 2018 season, giving and sacrificing everything in order to put his teammates in a better position to come out with the victory. A true Support with capital S.

And finally, it was all about – and no, the post-game hype is not overwhelming me – the perhaps best Western player in League of Legends history. The captain, the leader, the carry. What else to say about a player who managed to get two Penta-kills in a grand finals while ending the series without a single death?

True, Rekkles spent the last two years overshadowed while G2 Esports received themselves all glory and accolades, but you know: legends never give up. With five – yes, don’t forget sOAZ - new teammates, he is now back at the top of European League of Legends, and boy, will he and the rest of Fnatic arrive hungry for more at next month’s Mid-Season Invitational.

A proof of it? After the triumph, no vacations or anything similar: instead, the entire Fnatic team will be shortly flying to Korea in order to prepare themselves for the second most important tournament of the year.

However, big international tournaments are surely no big deal for an organization who delivered us on the world’s stage some of the most iconic moments in League of Legends history: from the victory at the very first World Championship, to a memorable run in 2013 after knocking out North America’s sweethearts, from heartbreaking losses – will someone ever forget that game against China’s OMG in 2014? I am sure Rekkles won’t – to moments such as during the 2015 Mid-Season Invitational, where they gave Faker and the rest of SK Telecom T1 a run for their money, followed by the equally impressive run to the semis at Worlds here in Europe, with a line-up considered the best in the organization’s history.

With all that legacy in game, Fnatic will try to honor such legacy at a MSI filled with the very best the rest of the world has to offer: the fearsome Kingzone are the favorites to represent Korea – but the equally dangerous Afreeca Freecs shouldn’t be left to dust: doesn’t matter who will end up representing the most dominant region in League of Legends, it will arrive as the big favorites to win the whole thing.

In China, Invictus Gaming are definitely looking as one of the best teams in the world, but even if they end up not being the ones representing the LPL, we are sure that they will be sending a worthy representative. Over the Atlantic in North America, a revitalized Team Liquid want to prove that breaking a certain curse was no fluke, and with a stacked roster, will be coming for more.

But here in Europe, and Fnatic should and will use the home advantage in their favor. Why exactly you ask?  


Well, in a continent with so many different cultures, languages and habits, no other organization can make us forget our silly regional rivalries and conflicts, while uniting and making us walk side by side dressed in orange and black, cheering and fighting alongside the five players on the Rift as well as Fnatic. Because when talking about League of Legends, Fnatic is Europe and Europe is Fnatic – in a bound unbreakable by time and everything else, one simply cannot exist without the other.

I can’t deny that my heart will be beating faster once they enter the Rift next month for their first match at the MSI – a journey that I secretly hope ends with them holding the trophy in front of a euphoric audience in Paris. Yes, I know, it is a (very) long shot, and all other representatives should be respected (and feared too) for their immense talent: after all, one couldn’t expect from the regional Champions, right?

But when talking about Fnatic, well, nothing is really impossible. Until the big day arrives, pretty much everything still is on the table. Until then, one is allowed to dream. And my dream definitely includes seeing 5 young men dressed in orange and black playing some League of Legends – while making an entire continent burst with pride. It took some time, but once again, Fnatic is Europe, and Europe is Fnatic. Things are back to the normal in the Old Continent.

(Photos courtesy of Riot Games)