FLY Inspired: "I want to become the GOAT of NA. Returning to EU has always been in the back of my mind, but I'm not sure if it'll ever happen"

Kacper "Inspired" Słoma, jungler of FlyQuest at Worlds 2024, North American representatives.

"Koreans have different mindsets as players, while NA and EU players tend to ego and focus purely on making montage plays. LCK players look at the game from a broader perspective"

Now sitting at 2-1, FlyQuest is preparing for the next round of matches in the League of Legends 2024 World Championship Swiss Stage with cautious optimism. Despite a favorable draw so far, the team is now set to face its toughest challenge yet as it moves on to the qualifying rounds. An exclusive interview with Inspired, the team's jungler, which delves into Western hopes, the team's current form, the gap against the East, Inspired's end goal, and a potential return to Europe.

You had a difficult early game against PSG today. How do you feel after this victory?

Kacper "Inspired" Słoma: "Yeah, I'm happy that we won, obviously. I think our execution in the early to mid-game was a bit off. I feel like we were a little too aggressive against enemy champions. They picked a lot of playmaking champions, like Vi and Ahri, who want to fight early. I think they didn't do a good job early because they gave us Grubs for free; we had like five Grubs. They also took the first Drake very late and gave us the second Drake. So that basically tells us that we didn't have to fight them for a long time, which is kind of what our champions want. But I feel like we were trying to be too aggressive too early in the game, which is why we died a couple of times. After that, I think we just calmed down, waited for our item spikes, and played according to our composition. That's why the game looked pretty smooth after we won one teamfight.

Despite the 2-1 score, FlyQuest has looked shaky, winning only against Play-In teams (GAM and PSG) and benefiting from a favorable draw. How do you feel about your team's chances against stronger Eastern teams in the upcoming rounds?

Inspired: I wouldn't say we are confident in facing them. I feel like the draw helped us a lot. I know for a fact that we aren't better than BLG who are sitting at 1-2, we just got such an easy draw. Same thing for all of the other strong teams at the tournament. I hope we get a favorable draw and it out of the Swiss Stage. Overall, the format is pretty weird though. I would say we are weaker than the Eastern teams at the moment.

I think we can compete with them, but we need to be very creative with our champions and surprise them in the game. If we play a normal game against those teams, we won't be favored. Just watching their playstyle, I can instantly tell they have been practicing this all year, while we try to copy it when we get to Worlds. I don't really like that part; I feel like we don't have enough time to copy it. We have to do what has worked for us and try to do something different than them to win the game. So, I think we are definitely the weaker team on paper, but maybe we can surprise them with our creativity.

This Worlds, it feels like the West is further away from the LCK and LPL than ever. What do you think is happening?

Inspired: I feel like they just have a different mindset when coming up as players. They value the team game more and treat the game differently. While NA and EU players focus a lot on montage and flashy plays, the LCK and LPL teams are very strict with their drafting, champion usage, and time management in the game. It feels like they look at the game from a broader perspective, while EU and NA teams tend to ego, trying to fight 2v2 or 3v3.

On top of that, their mechanics are insane, making it almost impossible to outplay them most of the time. Usually, when an EU or NA team beats an Asian team, it’s because they surprise them with a specific play or draft. I think that’s the key for us to win. As for why this gap exists, I believe it’s because they have a different mindset from the beginning. Once they start practicing, they immediately think about the team game and how to play together, while in EU and NA, everyone focuses more on individual mechanics.

Inspired at Worlds 2020 with Rogue. Credit: Riot Games

It's your fourth time at Worlds, and you haven't reached the quarterfinals once. How do you feel about that? Does it feel frustrating?

Inspired: I was a bit mad about it when I was in Rogue, when we lost a tiebreaker against a North American team to make it to the quarterfinals. I felt like that was the moment I should have made it, and I didn't manage to. So that was the only time I was really frustrated about it. Other than that, in the other two times I made it, our team didn't really deserve it, and we just lost in the group stages.

This time, I think the format is way different than it used to be, so you don't really know if you are better than your opponents because you don't even know who you are going to end up facing. So, I don't know. I don't really focus on whether we will make it out or not. Hopefully, I can make it out because, as you said, I never have. It would be a good achievement for me, but I think we are just trying to play our best League and our best style.

Do you ever feel like you've missed your chance because you haven't reached the quarterfinals in the past? Are you afraid you might not get there again?

Inspired: I mean, it’s not really a worry for me. I’m obviously trying to do that every year. If I end up never making it, well, I guess I was not meant to do that. But I think I will eventually manage to get a good run internationally. Maybe not this year, maybe not next year, but I still have a few years to try, so I’m going to keep doing my best.

Do you think you can achieve your career goals in North America, or is a return to Europe still in the back of your head someday?

Inspired: I think the chances are very similar. We have a really strong team at FlyQuest, and I don’t think I would have significantly different odds on an EU team. I feel like our team is a good mix of young talent and veterans who lead the game. So, I don’t think there’s any other team I would choose right now that would increase my chances.

Obviously, you could think about G2 since they have Caps, who is usually the clutch factor that makes them stand out. I guess the only team I would consider that might give me higher chances would be G2. Still, I think we are playing really well together at FlyQuest, and that's why we won LCS. Hopefully, that’s also why we will be able to make it to quarters.

Do you feel pressure to perform well due to the disillusionment among NA and EU fans, especially considering the potential decline of esports in those regions if teams don't improve?

Inspired: Definitely. That’s a good point. It does feel like pressure because if we keep losing, esports might lose fans since they could get annoyed by our constant defeats. But there’s not much we can do about it. We are trying our best, and when we get to Worlds, we practice as much as possible to close the gap that has built up over the whole year.

I think it’s possible for the team to have a good run, but you need a mix of luck and really good performance. So, I don’t know. I don’t think the pressure affects our gameplay to a significant extent, but obviously, everyone wants to do their best. There is a little bit of pressure because you know people are watching you and hoping that finally, an EU or NA team will have a good run. Whenever you fail, it just feels like you missed another shot, and that feels kind of bad.

FlyQuest, taking a bow after their victory. Credit: Adela Sznajder/Riot Games

Do you believe the LEC and LCS are heading in a good direction by sending teams like MDK and 100T to Worlds?

Inspired: I mean... You don't really choose who you send, right? If it were up to you to choose, then you could consider sending the best team. But if you finish third, you’re the best third team in the league. So, I think in NA, if C9 went to Worlds, then NA would be stronger as a region because I think they were a really strong team, especially mechanically. I feel like Berserker and Jojopyun would contest with the players here better than the 100 Thieves players did.

But in EU, it seems like the strongest three teams went. I was watching BDS; maybe they were a little bit stronger than MAD Lions KOI, but they ended 4th, so it’s hard to tell. So, I think we both sent decent teams to Worlds.

What are your goals before retirement, and what do you want to achieve at a minimum?

Inspired: I want to be the GOAT of the region. Right now, I'm playing in NA, and I want to be the best player here by winning a lot more trophies than I have so far. It would obviously be nice to have won the LEC too, as that would give me trophies in both regions. It's always in the back of my mind that I might want to return to EU to win here as well, but I'm not sure if that's ever going to happen. My main goal is to become known as the best player in the league and retire as a GOAT.

Do you have any words for the fans?

Inspired: Thank you for cheering for us. Even though we lost to DK and our game didn’t look great, I think we played decently well against PSG. We had a good draft and played towards our win condition at some point, so the game was a bit boring again, like our first win, but we managed to win. Hopefully, you’ll keep cheering for us, even if our games don't look great. We might face three strong opponents, but just know we are trying our best to win."

Header Photo Credit: Adela Sznajder/Riot Games