Lille Esport adjust their strategy. In light of the economic challenges facing the ERL and
the uncertain future of LFL Division 2, the club—whose management is still voluntary—has been compelled to limit its expenses this offseason. Consequently, the team has assembled a roster it believes will be both “
competitive and focused on nurturing young talent.” According to Sheep Esports sources, the Lille roster for the upcoming Div2 season will consist of Eric "
Sleyer" Xie, Karim “
Karim kt” Aubineau, Imad “
Improver” Assafi, Zayan “
13” Tareau, and Solal “
Enjawve” Accary.
The club has adopted this philosophy to achieve its goal of sending players to the next level, the LFL. Lille have previously seen talents like Volodymyr "Maynter" Sorokin and Valentin "Stormax" Garnier advance to France's top tier, although not immediately after their time at the club. Some players, such as the promising Marley "Vespa" Benezech, even found themselves without a team after representing Lille Esport—a situation the organization considers heartbreaking.
A Time for Reunions
The first piece of Lille’s puzzle was Karim kt. The French jungler previously played for the team during Summer 2023, a season that marked Lille’s best performance to date, with two third-place finishes and qualification for the Up&Down tournament. Despite these achievements, Lille fell short of securing promotion to the LFL and endured a far less successful 2024 campaign, finishing 7th in the Spring and 8th in the Summer. Karim kt will also reunite with Enjawve, a familiar teammate from their time together at GameWard and Team GO in the LFL and Joblife in Spring 2024 in Div2.
Lille Esport track record in the LFL Division 2. Credit: Leaguepedia
These two experienced players, well known on the French scene, will be joined by three rookies whom the club hopes to develop. Sleyer has also played with JL but one year before the veteran duo’s tenure. The toplaner then played last season in the French third division and
had a convincing year with Skillcamp. Meanwhile, 13 also participated in the Nexus Tour but had less notable results, managing only one top 7–12 finish with Komaï E-sport during the fifth of six stages.
Aiming for the Playoffs
While Sleyer and 13 may be recognizable to avid followers of the French scene, Improver is a newcomer to the country. The Moroccan midlaner began his career in September 2023 and competed in the Arabian League’s second division during Spring 2024 with Slash Lions. He later joined the league’s top tier as a substitute for FOX Gaming, where he crossed paths with Felix “Smurfe” Hylleseth, Lille’s toplaner during their successful 2023 season.
Lille Esport have therefore chosen to bank on three promising French-speaking rookies who demonstrate strong potential. To guide them, the club has appointed SLiezzan, former assistant coach for Movistar KOI in the LVP, as Head Coach. The team’s stated goals are to “qualify for the playoffs” and “scale up,” with hopes of eventually reclaiming a spot at the top of the Div2 leaderboard.
Lille Esport 2025 reported roster:
- Top: Eric "Sleyer" Xie,
- Jungle: Karim “Karim kt” Aubineau
- Mid: Imad “Improver” Assafi
- ADC: Zayan “13” Taeau
- Support: Solal “Enjawve” Accary
For more roster changes, check out our Transfers Hub. Header Photo Credit: Leaguepedia/X
