After two years of competing in League of Legends, Gentle Mates are set to withdraw from Riot Games’ flagship title, according to sources close to Sheep Esports. The French organization, which competed in the Ligue Française de League of Legends (LFL) throughout 2024 and 2025, will not be returning for the 2026 season.

Rumors about this potential exit had been circulating for quite some time — even as early as last year — and have recently intensified following comments from one of the team’s co-owners, Corentin “Gotaga” Houssein. During a livestream, Gotaga admitted that the organization would “try everything to stay in League of Legends,” but acknowledged that doing so would be difficult. A decision has now been taken.

Two years without significant results

Across their two years in the LFL, Gentle Mates struggled to find lasting success on Riot’s MOBA. The team’s debut year began promisingly, finishing 3rd in the 2024 Spring Split, which earned them a spot at the EMEA Masters in their very first split. However, once on the European stage, the French squad faltered — eliminated in the group stage without making it to playoffs. The Summer Split of that same year proved even more difficult, with M8 finishing 8th overall after a disappointing 4–14 group stage record.

In 2025, the team managed to show a bit more consistency. Despite a rough start with a 5th–6th place finish in the Winter Split, Gentle Mates bounced back in Spring, once again securing 3rd place and qualifying for the EMEA Masters. This time, Jérémy “Eika” Valdenaire and his teammates advanced past the group stage and even won their first playoff match before being eliminated 1–3 by Barça eSports.

Their Summer Split followed a similar trajectory. Though they looked stronger in the group stage, the team ultimately finished 3rd once again. At the EMEA Masters, Gentle Mates went 4–2 in the Swiss Stage, but their playoff run was cut short once more after a 1–3 loss to Rossman Centaurs. Without a major trophy or finals appearance, Gentle Mates’ run in League of Legends comes to an end. Despite the lack of results, the team undeniably contributed to the growth of the French LoL ecosystem by bringing a massive new fanbase to the LFL.

Shifting direction

While the organization is stepping away from LoL, fans will still be able to follow the team of Lucas “Squeezie” Hauchard, Kévin “Brawks” George, and Gotaga on another of Riot’s flagship titles: VALORANT. The French team will continue competing at the highest level in Europe, having recently secured a VCT EMEA slot for the 2026 season.

According to our information, M8 is also considering joining the VALORANT Game Changers circuit. As a reminder, Gentle Mates also recently opened its Counter-Strike section, acquiring the core roster of Iberian Soul and 9z’s former AWPer, Antonio "Martinez" Martinez. The club is therefore refocusing on FPS, the genre that made its three founders known.