It's been four years since the LEC has truly made a mark on the international stage. Ever since the remarkable journey of the uniquely charming G2 Esports team in 2019, which was abruptly halted in Paris by the unstoppable FPX in the Worlds final, European teams have struggled to replicate the success of what is arguably the greatest team ever produced by the West.

Nonetheless, some have attempted to follow in their footsteps. G2, for instance, made the attempt in 2020 with the same roster but fell short in the semifinals, being humiliated by the superior DAMWON Gaming. Then came MAD Lions, dominating the LEC by winning both splits and pushing the reigning world champion, DWG, to a fifth game at the MSI. However, they barely scraped through the Worlds group stage and were dismantled once again by DWG in the quarterfinals. Last year, even Rogue made an impressive showing during the summer split and eliminated Top Esports in the Worlds group stage. Nevertheless, the outcome remained the same, with a brutal 3-0 defeat at the hands of the Chinese champions, JDG.

The reality of the past few years is that the gap between Asia and Europe has significantly widened, with the LCK and LPL continuing to progress at lightning speed, a pace the LEC has been unable to match. European teams must now pay more attention to the LCS, which is gradually reentering the competition, rather than aiming for a comeback against Asian regions that already seem distant.

With this in mind, the LEC has made a substantial change for 2023. Shifting from the traditional 2-split format used by leagues worldwide, the elite of Europe has transitioned to 3 splits with a more condensed calendar, matches that hold greater value, and, most notably, a breakneck, almost relentless pace.

While this format received criticism throughout the season, it allowed some teams to rise, taking advantage of the missteps by certain favorites to establish themselves in a more open European league, where the level constantly fluctuated throughout the season.

Team BDS: A French-Flavored Surprise

One of the standout surprise teams that have shone brighter than expected throughout the season is Team BDS. Who would have predicted at the start of the season that this young Swiss team, coming off a disastrous first year in the LEC and banking on inexperienced young players, would secure a spot in the list of qualified teams for Worlds?

Yet, against all odds, BDS accomplished this feat, carving a path in a more open LEC with unexpected performances and an impressive level of control, especially for such a young team. After a challenging first year in the LEC, BDS decided to put their trust in Ilias "nuc" Bizriken, surrounding him with players he knew well. His friend and former Kameto Corp teammate, Adam "Adam" Maanane, made a return to the team after being sidelined due to his performance in spring 2022.

The top laner had spent the summer in the BDS academy, which had an impressive season, reaching the finals of the LFL and then the European Masters. Adam's promotion back to the LEC, along with two of his academy teammates, Juš "Crownie" Marušič, a familiar face in the LEC, and Théo "Sheo" Borile, a young rookie who had risen from the French Division 2 to the LEC in just two years.

To complete the team, Crownie reunited with Labros "Labrov" Papoutsakis, his former Vitality teammate with whom he had formed an impressive duo. Despite this, few observers saw BDS taking center stage. The last season in the European elite for Adam had been disappointing, nuc had not managed to convince after three LEC splits, Labrov was known for being an excellent scrim player but had not fully met expectations, Crownie had failed to win over Vitality fans during his time in 2021, and Sheo was a relatively unknown rookie.

BDS began the winter season under the radar, occupying a mid-table position, which exceeded many people's expectations. European fans started to appreciate a team that excelled in controlling aspects of the game and forcing opponents to make mistakes. They played a calm, strategic style reminiscent of Korean gameplay, while still showcasing individual talent.

Adam, in particular, stood out on the team. Known for his mastery of unconventional champions, he was given the freedom to pick Garen, Olaf, Darius, and other powerful picks. He had the ability to break open games for his team, even with some characteristic errors in his gameplay.

These errors would come back to haunt BDS during the winter group stage. They lost to G2 as expected and then suffered an unexpected defeat to Astralis, a match they were heavily favored to win. BDS finished seventh in the group, leaving them with plenty of regrets.

These regrets fueled BDS's resurgence in the spring. Motivated by their disappointing performance in the winter, they came back strong, winning most of their regular season matches and claiming the top spot in the LEC. They continued their dominance in the playoffs, securing their spot in the finals.

However, the LEC finals would become their biggest regret of the season. Despite being favored against the MAD Lions, BDS won the first two games convincingly but faltered, allowing MAD to make a comeback and secure the reverse sweep.

Returning for the summer, BDS struggled to maintain the same level of dominance. They slipped back into mid-table territory and participated in the BO3 stage. After defeating Team Heretics 2-1 in a closely contested match, they were beaten by G2 in a 2-0 sweep.

Team Heretics had their revenge in the Lower Bracket, eliminating BDS and placing them fifth in the summer, marking their return to mid-table status. Nevertheless, BDS secured their place in the Season Finals, accumulating enough points to rank as the third-best team of the season.

Facing G2 once again in the Season Finals, BDS lost 3-1 and had to win their next match to have a chance at Worlds. They faced SK Gaming, and the dominant BDS from the spring re-emerged, sweeping the German team 3-0.

BDS secured a minimum fourth-place finish in the LEC, guaranteeing their spot in the Worlds Qualifying Series. However, they had a chance to bypass the series and qualify directly for the Main Event of Worlds by facing Fnatic. In a closely contested match, Fnatic emerged victorious, forcing BDS to go through the challenging path of qualification in Korea.

Their journey began with the Worlds Qualifying Series against Golden Guardians, where BDS faced a strong and ambitious American team. However, BDS excelled under pressure, winning 3-0 and officially qualifying for Worlds, joining the Play-In stage.

Confident upon entering the Play-In stage and considered favorites, BDS faced a significant setback. After a devastating loss in the first match against Team Whales, the second seed from Vietnam, the Swiss team suffered two more surprising defeats, putting their Worlds dreams in jeopardy. BDS seemed far from the team that had dominated against Golden Guardians, as if the pressure had paralyzed them.

Gradually, BDS regained confidence while working their way up the Lower Bracket, defeating Detonation FocusMe (2-0) and CTBC Flying Oyster (2-0). However, the ultimate challenge awaited them in PSG Talon, the dominant team of the Play-In stage so far.

In a highly tense BO5 series, the Taiwanese team won the first two matches convincingly, leaving many to believe BDS would be eliminated from Worlds 2023. But BDS rebounded, displaying the resilience they had lacked in the LEC Spring finals. Led by Adam, who was confident on his signature champions, and a masterful Labrov, they reversed the trend, securing their qualification to the Main Event of Worlds 2023. It was an astonishing achievement for BDS, just two years after their entry into the LEC and with a very young team that few had bet on at the start of the season.

Looking ahead to the competition, it's challenging to set lofty expectations for the young Swiss team. Reaching this stage of the competition is already a significant accomplishment, but now that they have achieved it, the players are likely hungry for more. BDS is likely to play the role of a dangerous team to face, especially in BO1 matches, where their unpredictable style and individual brilliance can unsettle any opponent.

Their first challenge in the Main Event is JD Gaming, one of the strongest teams in the world at the moment. BDS approaches this encounter without any pressure, making it the perfect opportunity to create historic upsets.

MAD Lions: The Embodiment of Inconsistency

Nothing could better represent MAD Lions' season than a roller-coaster ride. They went through every possible state of a team within the same season. Historically strong in Europe but less so on the international stage, the Spanish team experienced highs and lows throughout the year 2023.

The madness started with their offseason roster changes. Building on the mid-jungle synergy developed by Javier "Elyoya" Prades Batalla and Yasin "Nisqy" Dinçer during the summer of 2022, MAD Lions acquired three players with both high potential and unpredictability.

First, they welcomed back Matyáš "Carzzy" Orság, who had been part of the MAD Lions structure in 2020 and 2021, but had a disastrous year with Vitality, where his performance never took off. Then came the arrival of a Korean rookie, Kim “Chasy” Dong-hyeon, who emerged from the DAMWON Academy and gained experience in ERLs last season. Finally, they signed an iconic European figure, the enigmatic Zdravets “Hylissang” Iliev Galabov, renowned for his brilliance and occasional missteps, making him one of the best supports in LEC history.

With Carzzy and Hylissang forming the botlane and a rookie who had flown under the radar in the previous year in the lower tier, MAD Lions entered the season with more uncertainty than anything else but undeniable potential. That potential showed early in the season during the winter, where MAD dominated the regular season, finishing with a record of 7 wins and 2 losses, including victories against G2, KOI, and FNC.

However, things took a turn in the group stage, as G2 got their revenge on MAD, sending them to the Lower Bracket to fight for a spot in the playoffs against Astralis. MAD easily disposed of the Danish team but had to win three BO5 series in three days to compete for the title. In a marathon weekend, they defeated SK in a nail-biting 3-2 series, followed by a 3-1 victory over KOI. This secured their place in the grand finals, where they faced G2.

But G2 proved to be a formidable opponent, outclassing MAD in every aspect and securing a resounding 3-0 victory, leaving MAD without much of a fight.

MAD entered the Spring split with a burning desire to get their revenge on G2, but nothing went as planned. The downward spiral began in the regular season, with the Lions losing to teams that hadn't posed any threat to them just weeks earlier. They rapidly regressed and had to fight in a decisive tie-breaker against Heretics to avoid finishing in the bottom two of the league.

Still, the group stage was MAD's Achilles' heel, as they couldn't stand up to Vitality, who sent them to the Lower Bracket to face Fnatic. In a tightly contested match with questionable plays, Fnatic came close to eliminating MAD, falling short at the worst moment, allowing the Spanish team to rally and win, although not without difficulty.

Subsequently, MAD defeated Astralis to qualify for the playoffs but didn't instill much confidence. They entered the Lower Bracket of the playoffs as the underdogs and faced G2 right away. It would take a miracle for MAD to do more than make up the numbers in these playoffs.

However, MAD began an incredible comeback by exacting revenge on G2 in a thrilling match, showcasing the synergy between Elyoya and Nisqy. They then went on to face Vitality, who had humiliated them in the group stage just two weeks earlier, and defeated them convincingly with a ruthless 3-1 victory.

The Spanish team found itself in the playoffs' grand finals after a season that was on the brink of disaster, but they still had to face the Summer's behemoth, BDS, who were on a 10-game winning streak, including a dominant 3-0 victory over Vitality. BDS was the favorite to win the finals, and they showed it by winning the first two games, making it seem like they would be crowned champions.

Surprisingly, MAD recreated the miracle that had earned them their first LEC title in Spring 2021. Facing Rogue, MAD had come back from a 2-0 deficit. They repeated the feat against BDS, winning three consecutive games when everyone was already preparing to celebrate. After coming close to finishing ninth in one tiebreaker and two auto-attacks away from ending seventh in another, MAD Lions won the LEC Spring split and secured their ticket to MSI.

Unfortunately, the MSI was not a highlight of MAD Lions' year, to say the least. It started well, with MAD dominating T1 in the first match, but they let their advantage slip away, leading to a comeback win for T1. The mental impact was substantial, and MAD crumbled, losing the next two matches, including a humiliating 16:50 defeat, one of the shortest games in history. When they faced G2 to secure their survival in the tournament, MAD was a shadow of the team that had shone in the LEC, losing 3-0 and returning to Europe empty-handed, burdened by a significant international failure.

Despite the rough patch at MSI, MAD returned to the Summer season without signs of defeat. They strung together four consecutive wins, defeating Vitality, G2, and KOI in the same week. It appeared that the MAD of Spring had returned.

But the good times didn't last, as MAD suffered five straight defeats, all against opponents expected to be inferior. They narrowly secured a place in the group stage with their early-season victories. However, the disaster continued in the groups, with MAD losing consecutively to Excel (2-0) and Fnatic (2-0), finishing the season in a dismal seventh place with a streak of nine losses, the worst in the organization's history.

Despite a challenging finish to the playoffs, losing to G2 (1-3) and falling in an intensely competitive match against Fnatic in Montpellier (2-3), MAD Lions managed to secure their qualification for Worlds 2023. They finished the season second in the overall standings, having accumulated enough points in the first two splits to secure their place in the Season Finals. Despite the playoffs ending on a less-than-ideal note, MAD Lions fulfilled their goal of qualifying for Worlds, despite all the setbacks they faced in 2023.

Now, MAD is setting its sights on Worlds, aiming for redemption and a chance to rebuild its reputation. Although MAD has consistently performed well in the LEC, the team is primarily known for its international shortcomings, including a double elimination in the Worlds Play-In stage in 2020 and 2022. Last year, MAD unfortunately disappointed Europe by losing without resistance to Evil Geniuses, the American representative and European rival.

This time, MAD has bypassed the Play-In stage, but they arrive at the Main Event of Worlds 2023 with just as many uncertainties. What version of MAD will we see in South Korea? The team faces the challenge of not having their head coach, James “Mac” MacCormack, on-site during the competition due to the birth of his child. This is a significant loss, as Mac has been a pillar of the MAD Lions organization since joining the LEC.

However, the team has made arrangements to minimize the impact of his absence, knowing that he will still be working with the team remotely. Let's hope that MAD Lions can show their best form, erase their past international failures, and maybe even pull off an upset.

Fnatic: Back from the Brink

To say that Fnatic's start in 2023 was unconvincing would be an understatement. As a historical esports organization, the second most decorated in the history of Europe, Fnatic has set high standards for themselves and their fans. However, over the past few years, the team has displayed inconsistency, which has been challenging to accept given the enormous expectations surrounding them.

Many fans sensed trouble on the horizon even before the season began. After a lukewarm 2022 season despite a roster of superstars, Fnatic bid farewell to their botlane duo, Elias “Upset” Lipp and Hylissang, both of whom went on to join other teams. In their place, Fnatic brought back a legend, the most iconic player in the organization's history: Martin “Rekkles” Lasson.

After an attempt (and ultimately a failure) to form a superteam with G2 in 2021, the Swedish ADC had tried his luck with Karmine Corp in a somewhat peculiar season. This season was crowned with a title at the European Masters but accompanied by major disappointments. The issues with Rekkles were evident to many from the beginning. He seemed too frail to compete in the LEC and did not demonstrate the expected dominance in the ERL. Moreover, he was paired in the botlane with Rúben "Rhuckz" Barbosa, a veteran of the Portuguese ERL, who had long been awaiting his chance in the top tier but was coming off a disappointing season in Fnatic's academy team.

As anticipated, the botlane significantly underperformed compared to expectations. Rekkles' style of play seemed outdated, lacking the aggression needed to perform against the region's best ADCs, and Rhuckz proved too inconsistent to cover for this. However, the botlane was not the sole problem for Fnatic; Iván "Razork" Martín Díaz and Marek "Humanoid" Brázda struggled to find synergy, and Martin “Wunder” Hansen was no longer the same threat of previous years.

A disaster was inevitable, and Fnatic completely missed the mark in the Winter season, finishing in ninth place. This marked the first time in Fnatic's history that the team was eliminated during the regular season in Europe. It was also the first regular season in history to eliminate only two teams. The shame was palpable for fans, and the players themselves were disheartened. Wunder decided to retire, and Rhuckz was replaced.

Fnatic promoted Óscar "Oscarinin" Muñoz Jiménez, a promising young player from their academy, to replace Wunder. They also acquired Henk "Advienne" Reijenga as a support. In the Spring split, Fnatic's results improved, although they still fell short of their usual standards. The team finished sixth in the regular season, securing a spot in the group stage by defeating MAD Lions and G2 Esports in the final week.

However, in the group stage, Fnatic collapsed once again. They made numerous mistakes against a very aggressive Astralis team and ended up in the Lower Bracket. There, they encountered MAD Lions, who were in the midst of their incredible comeback, but still a relatively weak team at that time. Fnatic couldn't close out the match when they had the chance. In the decisive match, as Fnatic was in the enemy base with a few hits away from finishing MAD's nexus, Rekkles used his flash too early, preventing him from securing the victory. MAD eventually won the match a few minutes later.

Fnatic finished eighth, and the disaster was significant. The conclusion was clear: the changes in the Spring were not enough, and the team needed a substantial overhaul. While MAD and G2 were at MSI, Fnatic prepared for their comeback in the top tier of European League of Legends. In the Summer split, they introduced two new players: Oh “Noah” Hyeon-taek, a young Korean player who had shone in the LCK and ERLs in the spring, and Adrian “Trymbi” Trybus, acquired through a trade with KOI, a trade that raised questions later on, as it seemed to benefit Fnatic.

With this new roster and a functional Razork-Humanoid duo, Fnatic showed signs of improvement and finished the regular season in second place, with a record of 7 wins and 2 losses. But once again, the team's chronic instability resurfaced in the group stage, where they were punished by SK Gaming, who perfectly countered Fnatic's plans.

Back in the Lower Bracket, Fnatic avenged their Spring loss against a struggling MAD Lions before putting up a much better performance in their rematch against SK. This was the first time Fnatic had made it to the playoffs since the start of the year. Against Heretics, Fnatic dominated the game throughout and displayed a level of solidity that had been rare that year. However, in the semi-finals against Excel, the team's limitations were exposed, and Fnatic lost the series 1-3.

Nevertheless, Fnatic had already secured their place in the Season Finals, even though they started the competition in the Lower Bracket. There, they faced Excel, who had knocked them out in the Summer playoffs. This time, Fnatic exacted their revenge, despite an extremely close contest. It was a fantastic performance from Oscarinin, despite a wrist injury, that carried his team to victory and ensured at least a top-four finish in Europe.

Fnatic was determined to go further and face an unexpected challenge: Oscarinin's injury worsened, requiring surgery and preventing him from continuing the playoffs with Fnatic. To replace him, Wunder made a surprising return to the team, despite not playing since his retirement from the team earlier in the year. He returned directly to a crucial match that could qualify Fnatic for the Main Event of Worlds 2023.

Despite the stakes and challenges, Fnatic secured their spot in the Main Event with a close victory over BDS, thanks to excellent performances by Noah and Razork. Fnatic didn't stop there and, despite having their toplaner replaced on short notice, qualified for the final weekend of the LEC in Montpellier.

There, they faced MAD Lions and almost fell victim to a reverse sweep when Carzzy and Hylissang came alive. However, Fnatic finished the job and secured a place in the grand finals of the LEC, a position that nobody would have expected after their disastrous start to the year.

Certainly, in the finals, the task was too challenging, and G2 appeared vastly superior to Fnatic. Nevertheless, the most important thing was that Fnatic had salvaged a year that could have easily become the worst in the club's history. Now they are heading to the Worlds, in what seems to be their best version this year.

To perform at Worlds, Fnatic will need to rely on their standout performer of the season, Razork, who has consistently delivered incredible performances and is close to being the best jungler in Europe at the moment. Trymbi and Humanoid, who will be playing their third and fifth consecutive Worlds, respectively, will be the pillars to watch, especially given their potential to step up in important matches.

One major question surrounds Oscarinin, who will regain his place for Worlds, and will be competing in his very first international tournament just a few months after entering the professional scene. The same question can be asked about Noah, who has never played on the international stage despite his experience in the LCK.

Regardless of the challenges, Fnatic can consider themselves fortunate to be at Worlds after a chaotic start to the year. The team is not content to stop there. Even though we've seen several faces of this Fnatic roster, some satisfying and some disappointing, they will need to be at their best if they hope to challenge the Asian teams.

G2 Esports: Europe's Last Hope?

If there's one team that can be described as dominant in the LEC, it's undoubtedly G2 Esports. Even though the best team in European history experienced a few rough patches throughout the season, it remained the flagship team of the LEC for the majority of the year. G2 managed to win two out of the three splits and secured the Season Finals title, marking their tenth European championship.

G2 had set the stage for a successful year with an ambitious offseason. Following a somewhat disappointing previous season, where they won the Spring Split but failed in the Summer Finals and on the international stage, G2 made significant changes. They parted ways with their botlane duo, Victor “Flakked” Lirola Tortosa and Raphaël “Targamas” Crabbé. While their performance during the season wasn't bad, they did exhibit some limitations on the international stage, which was G2's primary objective.

Even more crucial was the departure of a club legend, the best jungler in European history, Marcin “Jankos” Jankowski, who left G2 after five years of outstanding service. It's a difficult name to replace, but G2 had a target in mind.

They signed Martin “Yike” Sundelin, the rising star of the jungle in the ERL, as a highly promising rookie. He had won the French championship in 2022 with LDLC OL in his first year in this tier, and the Swede seemed to be the next European jungle prodigy. He was surrounded by experts in their roles.

For the botlane, G2 brought out the big guns. They welcomed back Steven “Hans Sama” Liv, who had previously joined Team Liquid, and paired him with Mihael “Mikyx” Mehle, who returned to his beloved team after a year away. It was an imposing botlane, which had previously played together at Misfits in 2018. At the time, the duo didn't achieve exceptional results despite their potential. In 2023, they had a chance to rectify that.

G2 had a strong start to the season, dominating the Winter Split with ease, largely thanks to their three new recruits. They finished near the top in the regular season and easily defeated BDS (2-1) and MAD (2-0) in the group stage. In the playoffs, KOI didn't pose a significant challenge (3-1), and G2 finished an almost perfect run with a convincing win against MAD Lions (3-0), securing their spot at MSI and the Season Finals.

Already qualified for the main goal, the international competition, G2 took it easy during the Spring Split, which ultimately proved costly. They were consistently at the top in the regular season, but trouble began in the group stage, where KOI surprisingly defeated them, just as they had done in the regular season.

G2 didn't lose composure and easily defeated SK before taking revenge against KOI to re-enter the playoffs. There, they faced the Winter Split finalists, MAD Lions, who didn't seem up to par in the playoffs and arrived as underdogs against G2. However, G2 was once again caught off guard, displaying unexpected weaknesses, particularly from their usual pillar, Rasmus “Caps” Winther. G2 lost 3-2 and finished fourth in the Spring, marking a failure for the Samurai.

While their qualification was already secured after the Winter Split, the level displayed by G2 in the Spring raised some questions as MSI approached. In the Play-In stage, the team reassured somewhat, showing flashes of domination, as well as occasional weaknesses that proved costly. The Main Event began with a match against Gen.G, the Korean champion, serving as a reminder that the gap between the two regions still existed. Jeong “Chovy” Ji-hoon outperformed Caps, and the Koreans dominated G2 in all aspects of the game, despite Yike delivering exceptional performances that day.

In the Lower Bracket, G2 asserted their status as the best European team against a shattered MAD Lions team, which had previously lost to T1. However, G2's status as Europe's best was of little consequence against Bilibili Gaming two days later. While G2 fought valiantly and even won a game, the gap between the two teams was apparent. BLG was on the verge of eliminating both Korean teams in succession following their match against G2.

Returning to Europe, G2 knew their weaknesses. While Yike and Sergen “BrokenBlade” Çelik had lived up to the occasion, the same couldn't be said for their three other teammates, who didn't perform at their best against opponents who allowed no room for error. The most glaring weakness was in the midlane: Caps had already shown signs of struggling in the Spring, resorting to unconventional champions to hide his difficulties with the top meta picks.

The botlane, which had been one of G2 Esports' major strengths, also struggled. Motivated by the MSI failure, G2 got back on track and dominated the LEC Summer Split. They finished with an 8-1 record in the regular season, defeated KOI 2-0, and also bested BDS. In the playoffs, XL posed a minor challenge in their first match, but G2 ultimately won 3-2. In the grand final, they faced XL again and delivered the usual verdict: a 3-0 victory.

G2 was now the undisputed champion of the Summer, marching confidently toward the Season Finals. It took them just three matches to reclaim their throne, each against one of the three other representatives of Europe at Worlds, and each ending with the same score. G2 first defeated BDS 3-1, then faced MAD Lions, who did not appear on par with their playoff performances, with BrokenBlade displaying his exceptional talent in the matchup. G2 encountered FNC in the grand final and handed them the same result, this time with an extraordinary performance by Caps, perhaps fueled by the Montpellier crowd behind him.

G2 is, without a doubt, the best team in Europe. However, this title is almost taken for granted for the greatest organization in European history, and it's not even what they are interested in. G2 has always aimed to perform on the international stage, and that uneven MSI remains a sore spot for the Samurai. The team has consistently improved since their return from MSI, particularly BrokenBlade, who has been playing at an astonishing level for several months and appears ready for Worlds. On the other hand, Mikyx is the undeniable MVP of the league, for his consistency and domination over all the botlanes in Europe.

Caps and Hans Sama have also redeemed themselves after disappointing MSI performances, and both have historically been known to raise their level during Worlds, particularly when their team needs them. In a competition where G2 Esports appears to be the only formidable force to challenge the formidable Asian teams, will the Black and White Samurai be capable of bridging the regional gap to repeat their glorious past achievements? Many Europeans certainly believe in their chances.

Among those with the goal of competing with the best, those who no one expected to go so far, and those who have experienced tumultuous years, the four representatives of the LEC at Worlds 2023 display unparalleled diversity. However, they all share the same objective: to make a region whose best days are behind it proud once again.