The Rookies of the 2024 LEC: Zoelys, the French prodigy.

Historically, France has always been one of the main talent pools when it comes to League of Legends esports. Even back in the day, the tricolor flag shone brightly thanks to the illustrious Bora "YellOwStaR" Kim and Paul "sOAZ" Boyer, and the impact of the French scene on the European stage only intensified with the growth of the French ecosystem. Today, in the first article of the new LEC 2024 rookies, let's talk about a gem straight from the French circuit, with a meteoric rise that turned the heads of many League of Legends enthusiasts in 2023: Théo "Zoelys" Le Scornec.

In just 3 years on the competitive scene, Zoelys has become one of the most sought-after prospects in Europe. Yet, the young French support arrived in the LFL Division 2 before even reaching 18 years of age. Back in 2021, he began his adventure with Solary. At the time, the popular organization had a team in the second division, where Solary’s streamers played. At the end of 2020, Solary decided to change its approach and launched a development project aimed at nurturing talents from the French amateur scene: the Solary Academy.

Initially led by Lucas "Badlulu" Piochaud, Solary quickly formed a very promising roster, including Lanzo "Zicssi" Ciajolo, Josselin "Odin" Odin, and Cléante "iWa" Oullion. Zoelys joined a team that no one expected much from. However, he quickly showed impressive strengths for his young age, especially his versatility. Capable of seamlessly transitioning from traditional supports to more exotic champions like Vel'Koz or Jarvan IV, the young French player proved to be a significant asset for the Solary Academy in his first season, showcasing remarkable aggressiveness and fervor.

While Solary Academy didn't achieve the best collective performances, finishing 8th in the Spring (7-11) and 5th in Summer (10-8), the players proved themselves individually and impressed teams at a higher level. After a strong first year, Zoelys became a noticed prospect in the scene, alongside teammates Zicssi and Badlulu.

The latter quickly reached the French elite, the LFL, in 2022 by signing with Mirage Elyandra. As for the other two, they are picked up by the two relegated teams from the LFL. Team MCES secured the services of Zicssi, while Izi Dream decided to build its team around Zoelys, creating a squad with a lot of talent and experience, tailored to dominate the Division 2.

It didn’t take long; Izi Dream quickly became the powerhouse of the league, and Zoelys, at just 18 years old, became the best support in the second division. Teaming up with the Austrian ADC Timothy “DizL” Warscher, the young Frenchman formed an unstoppable bot lane that kept winning. Solid in lane, Izidream particularly developed a slow and controlled style, allowing them to showcase their superiority in teamfights, where Zoelys impressed with his regular flashes of brilliance.

His versatility continued to improve, playing 17 different champions throughout the season. It is particularly on one of them that Zoelys built his reputation: Blitzcrank, which quickly became his signature champion. He finished 2022 undefeated on the Steam Golem, delivering remarkable performances even in the most decisive moments.

With exceptional performances come the playoffs, and Zoelys would not miss the call. It was during the Spring 2022 split that the young player made his first appearance at the top of the league, where he found himself face-to-face with Zicssi, who was playing for MCES at the time. The final was intense between the two teams, but ultimately, it would be Zicssi and MCES who emerged victorious after a stifling 53-minute match, despite Izi Dream being the favorites for the finals.

Back for the summer split, the blue phoenix was more determined than ever. They finished first in the regular season with a record of 15 wins and 3 losses, just like in the spring. In the playoffs, they easily swept MCES 3-0 to qualify for the grand final, led by Zoelys. After defeating the team that had previously bested them, it was ultimately TPAA that rose to the final to challenge them. But IZI is unstoppable...

Rolling over the final with a convincing 3-0 victory, the team finished the playoffs without losing a single game while qualifying for the promotion tournament to the first division. Unfortunately, the Up & Down didn't go as planned. The team underperformed and was demolished by Mirage Elyandra (0-3), and then by MCES (1-3). Although the disappointment was significant, the most important thing for Zoelys was elsewhere, as he was already catching the attention of LFL recruiters.

Joining the ranks of LDLC OL, Zoelys would begin anew within a team with an exceptional track record. Known throughout the European scene, the team was renowned for its past achievements and its expertise in developing new talents. Despite the intense pressure associated with the total reconstruction of the team, with the replacement of all players and part of the staff, Zoelys still delivered an outstanding season.

Champion of France, Rookie of the Split, MVP of the final, and MVP of the season, never had a newcomer made such a mark on the LFL upon arrival. At 19, Zoelys displayed himself as one of the best players in the league. Forming an unstoppable bot lane with Jesper "Jeskla" Klarin Strömberg, they finished first in the regular season before dominating the playoffs by defeating Aegis 3-1 and Team GO 3-0 in a resounding final. Unfortunately, the team couldn't maintain their performance in the EMEA Masters, losing to the Istanbul Wildcats in the quarterfinals, leading to their elimination from the tournament without showcasing their full potential.

The second half of the season proved challenging for Zoelys and his teammates. Starting the summer segment with the announcement of the future closure of LDLC's esports section, Zoelys and his team didn't start on the right foot. Finishing the season in 9th place, the team collapsed. Despite this, Zoelys remained at the center of discussions during the 2024 transfer window.

The French prodigy is eagerly awaited by many in the LEC, seen as the leader of a new generation of supports trained in Europe and ready to take over in Europe’s top league, Ultimately, Rogue, a renowned LEC organization that regained its place in the league after KOI's departure, set its sights on Zoelys. There, the Frenchman will reunite with two LEC headliners: Emil “Larssen” Larsson and Markos “Comp” Stamkopoulos, both European champions in the Summer of 2022 with Rogue.

Comp, who had a challenging 2023, changing support mid-season without finding the synergy he had built with Adrian “Trymbi” Trybus the previous year, has a lot to prove next year to demonstrate that he still deserves his place in the European elite and that his glory days are not behind him.

He will be partnered with one of the most passionate supports from the ERL, seemingly eager to prove his worth at the highest level. They form a particularly interesting duo that could dazzle the LEC with its talent in 2024. Will Zoelys be able to impress European fans upon his arrival at the highest level, as he did in the LFL? Time will tell if this comes to pass.