It’s heartbreak for FlyQuest at Worlds 2025. The League of Legends Championship of The Americas (LTA) representatives and North American champions fell to Europe’s G2 Esports, narrowly missing a spot in the tournament’s bracket stage. However, the team still has one more chance to advance and must now prepare for their final opportunity on Saturday. In an exclusive interview, AD Carry Fahad “Massu” Abdulmalek sat down with Sheep Esports to discuss the loss, FlyQuest’s struggles at the event, and what the team needs to change to qualify for the next stage.

What do you think went wrong against G2?

Fahad “Massu” Abdulmalek: “A lot of things were wrong, of course, but mainly when I was in a winning position or when I had a big opportunity to really swing the game, I either didn’t make any good plan to take advantage of that, or I just didn’t capitalize on it. I feel like if I had done that, especially in game two when we had a very strong lane into the Xayah-Rakan, then their game would have been much harder, and we would have had a way bigger lead from the early game. I also think we just didn’t know how we wanted to fight, and a lot of the teamfights ended up with one person getting caught out, or we were very split, or we forgot to mark someone.

Both teams seemed indecisive and less proactive in today’s best-of-three. Why do you think that was?

Massu: A lot of it has to do with the comps we were playing and just the timers in the game where we thought we were weaker or they thought they were weaker. But I do think for sure both teams were pretty indecisive. It led to people maybe grouping mid for longer than they should have and not going to the side waves early enough. That was a problem we had and a problem they had as well. Other than that, I feel like both teams were a bit scared or nervous because it was like a bracket-qualifying game.

Before facing G2, FlyQuest had a relatively favorable Swiss draw. Do you think not being tested enough in earlier rounds hurt your performance today?

Massu: It would be a big excuse to say that. We were tested enough in scrims—we were definitely getting beaten up enough in practice to know our bad habits, our mistakes, and our problems, and to try to fix them. I don’t think having a lucky draw caused us to play worse on stage.

Was today’s performance uncharacteristic of what the team can really show, or do you think you’re still trailing behind and have a lot of work to do in the next few days?

Massu: We definitely have a lot of work in the next three days. And I do think we have a lot to show—whether we show it or not, I’m not sure. We just have to try our best. But yeah, I think for sure we’re much stronger than we showed.

You’re still a young player, and this is only your second Worlds. Last year, you made it to quarterfinals and even took Gen.G to five games. How do you view your expectations this year? Do you feel you need to surpass that result to feel satisfied with your performance?

Massu: Even if last year we hadn’t made it to quarters and had a really close series against Gen.G, I would feel the same way, which is that I want to make it at least to the semifinals. That’s just what I want to do as a player, because I don’t want to come to Worlds, get knocked out in one week, and then have to go into the offseason without being able to play again. At least the semifinals would be my goal.

With only three days before the next round and a lot to fix, how can FlyQuest quickly recover and prepare, especially with a tough opponent likely ahead?

Massu: For now, what we can do is put on band-aids or just slightly fix things. We all have to reset somehow, play our own game, make our own decisions in the game, and come up with a plan together while being on the same page. I feel like that’s the quickest way we can bring some consistency back.

Is there a team you’d prefer to face or avoid in the next round?

Massu: All the teams left are pretty strong, and if we play like we did against G2, I don’t see us beating anyone. Who we draw doesn’t matter. We have to focus on our problems right now and do our best to fix them.

How has your experience in China been so far? This is your second Worlds after competing in Europe last year. Have you adapted well, and how are you handling the mental side of being in such a strict, high-pressure environment far from home?

Massu: I’m adapting pretty easily to wherever we go at this point. I’ve flown so many times this year and last year, so adapting isn’t really an issue for me. As for the environment, when you come to Worlds, the tension is at its highest, and that’s what kind of makes or breaks the really good teams. Coming into it, you just have to have a strong mentality and be able to focus on your goal and what you need to work on as a team, because it’s pretty easy to lose confidence yourself, or in your teammates. So my mentality coming in is just to learn as much as possible and do my best.

Is there anything you want to say to North American fans to keep them confident about FlyQuest’s chances in the next round?

Massu: We didn’t have the best showing today, and I’m sure it gets pretty tiring to hear that because I say it pretty often. I’m sure by our next series we’ll be able to have a better performance and try to leave Worlds without regrets. Thank you for supporting us.”