FNC Mikyx confident ahead of LoL Worlds 2025: “No one’s that much better than us”

We’re just a few hours away from the start of the LoL Worlds 2025 Swiss Stage! On Oct. 15, sixteen teams will battle it out in best-of-one (Bo1) matches to determine their positions heading into the next round.

FNATIC will open their run against CTBC Flying Oyster. Veteran support Mihael “Mikyx” Mehle spoke with esports.gg about his experience in Beijing, guiding younger teammates, Fnatic’s legacy as a Worlds champion, and much more.

Sofia: I saw a picture of you hitting the gym with some G2 and KOI guys. Are you trying to bulk up before the match, so you can flex your biceps?

FNC Mikyx: [laughs] We mostly just did some team stretches. I didn’t really have much time to go to the gym or even get in a proper walk, to be honest.

Sofia: Did you have time to explore the city?

FNC Mikyx: No, just yesterday, when we were filming some content and features, we were on top of a building. That was actually the only time we went outside of the hotel.

Sofia: This is both your first international event and LoL Worlds playing for FNATIC. How are you feeling?

FNC Mikyx: It feels alright. I mean, coming in as the third seed isn’t the most exciting thing, I guess, but we’ll just have to see what we can do.

Sofia: With your extensive international experience, how do you approach mentoring younger teammates, like Poby, especially in such big events like Worlds?

FNC Mikyx: First, I’ll have to see if there’s anything different from what I’m used to in the EU. But since we’ve already played in Madrid in front of a crowd, I don’t think it’ll feel too different.

For me, my first Worlds back in 2016 felt a lot more intense. There was much more pressure because you’re not just playing for yourself or your team, you’re representing your whole region. That’s where a lot of the nerves come from. So I just need to make sure everyone’s prepared for that feeling and help them stay calm if it happens.

Sofia: Giving the meta and the introduction of the Fearless Draft, how do you anticipate adjusting your playstyle and champion pool to stay ahead in this tournament?

FNC Mikyx: I guess at first you just have to play some best-of-ones, so the pressure doesn’t really kick in there. But yeah, once you get to the best-of-fives, you definitely need to have a solid champion pool.

For now, though, the main goal is just to make it out of the group stage. That’s the priority. We don’t need to think too much about Fearless mode or specific draft strategies yet. Just focus on getting through groups first.

Sofia: Your partnership with Upset has been a cornerstone for FNATIC. How do you evaluate your duo synergy since the beginning of the year?

FNC Mikyx: I think we’ve been pretty good and consistent throughout the year. Our bot lane is quite strong compared to the other Worlds teams. I don’t think anyone is that much better than us. I’m really looking forward to facing the best bot lanes and performing well against them.

As for specific matchups, I think T1’s bot lane is really good. Honestly, all the LCK teams have strong bot lanes. From my perspective, those are probably the toughest ones. And of course, players like Elk. They’ve given me some trouble at previous tournaments. I’d definitely like to face them again and take them down this time.

Sofia: Are you confident that Fnatic might finally bring a trophy back to Europe?

FNC Mikyx: It’s going to be a tough one, but anything can happen, for sure. I mean, the chances aren’t the highest, but of course, Fnatic has a great story and history at Worlds. The organization has already won before, after all.

Sofia: Does that past victory and legacy put any pressure on you?

FNC Mikyx: I don’t think that legacy really puts any pressure on anyone. I mean, Season 1 Worlds isn’t that big of a deal anymore. It would be nice to create our own legacy by actually winning Worlds at some point. Then you’d really have your name written in the game’s history.

Sofia: I don't know how much you can share, but we know you have a big champion pool. Can fans expect some surprise picks from you?

FNC Mikyx: I would hope so, yeah. But I think those funny picks will probably have to come out in Fearless mode. It’d have to be a best-of-five series for me to pull out something really crazy. I’ve got something for every situation.

Sofia: Were there any players that surprised you in your scrims?

FNC Mikyx: I was surprised by Tarzan, he was really good. Well, I wasn’t surprised that he was good. I knew that, but he surprised me a lot anyway.

Sofia: If you had to say something to convince someone who doesn’t support Fnatic to watch your games, what would it be?

FNC Mikyx: We can win against anyone… but we can also lose against anyone. That usually makes it worth watching. [laughs] And we might have a few surprises in store.

Sofia: Do you have a message for the FNATIC fans?

FNC Mikyx: Just thank you for supporting us, and I hope you’ll keep cheering for us.

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