Rekkles is set to go to Worlds 2024, but not as an LEC player.
Martin "Rekkles" Larsson, former League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC) 2018 champion and current T1 Esports Academy player, is reportedly set to attend the League of Legends (LoL) Worlds 2024 as a sole substitute for T1. The news broke on Sept. 18 when the former AD carry of G2 Esports and Fnatic appeared as T1's sixth player on the official LoL Esports Pick'Em website.
Rekkles was first introduced as part of the South Korean organization on December 11, 2023, taking on the role of support for T1 Esports Academy and competing in the 2024 LCK Challengers League (LCK CL). His debut during the Spring Split was challenging, with the team exiting early after finishing ninth place out of the 10 teams. However, T1 Academy showed significant improvement, securing fourth place in the Summer Split.
Additionally, T1 announced an exclusive T-shirt collaboration with Rekkles on September 24, highlighting Rekkles' importance to the team's journey at the upcoming Worlds 2024. The T-shirt is scheduled to launch on September 26 for 42,000 KRW (approximately 32 USD) and will be available at T1's online and offline shops.
Rekkles unlikely to play any match at Worlds 2024
Despite being listed as a substitute, it’s unlikely Rekkles will play any matches at Worlds 2024. The community speculates that Rekkles' role as a substitute may be just for formality, as Worlds regulations require each team to have at least one substitute player.
T1 has not officially listed a sub for years, with the last being Kim "Asper" Tae-gi in 2022, who ended up not playing a single major match at all. Additionally, Rekkles hasn't been seen practicing with T1’s main roster, leading many to believe that he will only step in under urgent circumstances.
There is also speculation that Rekkles' role in Worlds 2024 might extend beyond gameplay. The Swedish player, fluent in English due to his extensive career in the LEC, could act as a guide and translator for the team during their long stay in Berlin, Paris, and London. With T1 known for recording travel vlogs at international events, Rekkles' presence could also add extra entertainment value for fans.
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Fan debate on T1's substitute choices
Many T1 fans are questioning the decision to list Rekkles as the substitute. Some argue it would be more strategic to list T1 Esports Academy’s midlaner, Yoon "Poby" Sung-won, as Faker’s substitute, especially since Poby has prior experience with the main roster.
Poby stepped in for Faker last summer when the legendary player had to sit out due to a hand injury. Furthermore, with Faker showing signs of post-match distress and recovering from a COVID-19 infection during the Summer Split, fans feel there’s an increased need for a midlaner backup.
Regardless of his involvement, fans are excited to see Rekkles back in Europe. Many hope to catch a glimpse of him at the venue or even as a special guest.
Stay tuned on esports.gg for more news and updates.
