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Rekkles Joins T1 For League of Legends World Championship 2024

fragster Stalingrad 20. September 2024

As teams prepare to battle for the Summoner’s Cup, T1 catches the community off-guard by revealing a potential ace in their sleeves.

European League of Legends icon Martin “Rekkles” Larsson takes another big leap as T1 names him as a substitute for their Worlds 2024 roster. After spending the last year with T1’s Academy team in the Korean Challenger’s League, Rekkles is now set to return to the World Championship stage with the defending champions.

The Return of LEC’s Legend

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Named the face of the LEC, Rekkles has already cemented his place in the European LoL esports scene. Widely regarded as one of the best AD carries in the region, he has won multiple MVP awards as well as LEC championship titles. He achieved the latter 4 times with Fnatic and once with G2 Esports. In 2018, he even led Fnatic to the year’s Worlds finals, making himself a household name even in the international scene.

Rekkles’ last World’s appearance was in 2020 with his then team Fnatic. The team lost to Top Esports in the quarterfinals, landing in the 5th-8th place. He then played for various teams including G2 Esports and Karmine Corp, but was not able to replicate his past successes nor requalify for Worlds. This continued when he played for T1’s Academy team and switched to the support role for the LCK Challenger’s League. The team’s performance was not exactly impressive, but the tournament’s viewership was boosted by fans who came solely to see Rekkles play.

Now discovered to be registered as T1’s substitute, Rekkles makes his awaited return, drawing the anticipation of long-time fans. Many are eager to see whether the dimmed LEC star can, with this surprise move, make a glorious comeback. 

T1’s Rocky Road to Worlds

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The LCK Summer Splits and Regional Qualifiers saw three-time Worlds champion T1 struggle to make it to the 2024 lineup. The team placed third in the Summer Playoffs after a disappointing loss to Hanwha Life Esports and was defeated again by DPlus Kia in the Regional Finals. They barely clawed their way to the last Worlds spot as LCK’s 4th seed after a nail-biting 3-2 match against KT Rolster.

Given these setbacks, many are skeptical about T1’s future performance at Worlds 2024. However, there is still a flickering hope for fans, as T1 had once pulled a miracle Worlds win in 2016 even after losing in the year’s LCK Summer Splits. This season, having Rekkles as their substitute may just be the boost they need to turn the tides.

Rekkles’ Official Role is Still Unannounced

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T1 seems to be keeping things suspenseful as they have not yet officially said what Rekkles’ role would be. Potentially, the ADC icon could be swapped in for Gumayusi. Given his experience as support in the T1 Academy team, he could also replace Keria as well. Another possibility is that the LEC star will just be there to provide strategic insights and morale boost, or play in case of emergencies or much-needed tactical plays.

While this reveal has earned mixed reaction from fans, one of the most prominent sentiments on social media and other forums are whether fellow legends Faker and Rekkles will be able to play together. The potential strength and star power this duo could bring to the 2024 Worlds stage are spectacles no one would like to miss. On the other hand, Rekkles not being able to get any playtime appears to be a logical possibility, as T1 already features ZOFGK as a strong starting roster.

Redemption on the Rift

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Even without T1 officially announcing this roster update and fans only finding out through browsing the official site, the community is already abuzz with opinions and expectations about this surprise. T1, even with underwhelming performances, remains the most decorated team in League history. Similarly, Rekkles’ legacy as the EU ADC beast is not erased by recent setbacks.

T1’s World Championship 2024 lineup may set the tone for a double redemption or entrench the LCK and LEC talents in a deeper loss. How will this bold move play out? Only time will tell. This unexpected match is set to keep things interesting as T1 fights to reclaim their place at the top of the competitive scene.