Fnatic fails to qualify to Worlds for the first time since 2016

has always stood as one of the LEC’s top teams, and even through a somewhat tumultuous last few years, has unfailingly qualified to every Worlds in the last decade. That is, every Worlds until now. Today, Fnatic’s 1-2 series loss to solidified their first failure to qualify since 2016, cementing the fact that the team that once stood at the forefront of European LoL play, winning titles and making World Finals appearances, is a shadow of its former self.

Fnatic’s loss comes at the end of perhaps their weakest competitive year, finishing 8th in LEC Versus and 7th in Spring. Still, hope began to build after Fnatic’s 0-3 start in Summer was followed by a three-game winstreak, beating , , and the top-tier . Hype started to build, with many hoping that even after their worst year yet, “Fnatic plot armor” would kick in, and they would make a run for Worlds after all. And yet, Fnatic plot armor is no more, as for the first time ever, as pointed out by the official @LEC account, Fnatic’s has failed to even make it to Summer playoffs. Since their win against Shifters, they’ve gone on another three-series loss streak, with today’s loss serving as the final nail in Fnatic’s coffin.

The team has seen distinct struggles from all its players, including jungler , on his fifth straight year with the team, and midlaner , who was picked up after an impressive time with KCorp, but has been unable to return to that level of play. It also marks another disappointing finish for botlaner , marking his fifth playoffs-missing split in just the last three years. Toplaner joined just this split, having little time to display his skills before Fnatic’s former top, the oft-criticized , ensured his replacement (really his replacement’s replacement, after the very swift bringing-on and removal of ) and old team wouldn’t arrive to playoffs.

It’s a far cry from the Fnatic of old, the kings of Europe with the highest pedigree of players, always competing for, and winning many, championship titles, the rivals of G2, and farther back, the first World Champions. Now, Fnatic is officially a bottom-of-the-barrel LEC team, out of playoffs, and out of Worlds contention.