After a five-year VALORANT career, Leo parts ways with FNATIC and announces his retirement due to health reasons.
Leo "Leo" Jannesson wasn’t just another Swedish player. He was one of the franchise’s most promising players. After five years in the VALORANT competitive scene, Leo has departed FNATIC and retired from professional play. During his tenure with the orange team, the player secured one domestic title and two international trophies.
Leo leaves a legacy of clutches
In a heartfelt video, FNATIC highlighted some of Leo’s most iconic moments. FNATIC’s CoJo noted, “He was able to make an impact from a role that wasn’t the traditional impact role, showing how smooth and natural he was with his utility.” Meanwhile, Jake “Boaster” Howlett described Leo as a shy and reserved individual who gradually opened up to the team.
In 2023, Leo had a breakout year, earning the MVP title at VCT 2023: LOCK//IN São Paulo and being named Initiator of the Year at the VCT 2023: EMEA League. That same year, he also captured the VALORANT Masters Tokyo title and secured a fourth-place finish at the VALORANT Champions tournament. On Sept. 10, Leo announces his retirement as he officially leaves FNATIC.
FNATIC's CEO, Sam Mathews, refers to Leo as one of the "greatest of all time" in VALORANT. He added, "I know that whatever you put your heart into next, you will succeed, just like you did in VAL." Many teams and pro players came to the farewell X post to express their appreciation for Leo's impact in the scene.
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Health condition
In June 2024, Leo had to withdraw from competitions due to a health condition. The team has been providing updates since then. Even with all the monitoring of the situation for months and searches for solutions, Leo remained unable to play.
Two months later, Boaster revealed that Leo was suffering from long COVID, a condition that affects some individuals after their initial infection with the virus. According to FNATIC's in-game leader, Leo was experiencing severe fatigue and dizziness. Later that year, FNATIC signed Austin "crashies" Roberts as Leo continued recovering.
FNATIC Leo's best moments
Even after the VALORANT competitive scene forced him to step away, fans continued to praise Leo’s skills, highlighting that “his fundamentals and game sense were unmatched.” One fan wrote in the comment section of his highlights, “so sad to see what could’ve been one of the greatest careers ever cut short by something beyond his control.”
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