It's about time to say farewell to FC Schalke 04 Esports, who step down from the League of Legends European Championship after a varied career with some amazing wins and heartbreaking losses. The team have served as an incubator for some exceptional talent, pulled off a "miracle run" in the Summer 2020 season, and broken records in their time together.
Some of Schalke 04's best moments have come as a result of seemingly unwinnable odds, and fans have never been deprived of excitement and suspense. Here, we look back on the team's history, achievements, and legacy – as we wave goodbye to a valued LEC team.
**Origin story**
The team were formed in 2016, the fourth ever LoL team to be signed by a professional sports organisation. Schalke 04 had their eyes on the prize from day one, with an OG team composed of Etienne "Steve" Michels, Erberk "Gilius" Demir, Rasmus "MrRallez" Skinneholm, and Hampus "promisq" Abrahamsson – all accomplished players in their own right.
"We wanted to compete in the fastest-growing environment while also reaching fans we would potentially never reach with our core business, football," Schalke 04 General Manager Nicolas Farnir tells us. "The game itself is highly entertaining, ever-changing with regular patches and constantly growing. Lots of people all over the world discovered Schalke 04 through LoL, which is a great result for the club."
After finishing fourth in the 2016 Spring Season with a decent 3-5-2 match record, the team got off to a rocky start in the Summer Split. This unfortunately led to their relegation to the EU LoL Challenger Series, and the departure of the original members.
Even in their first year, Schalke 04 were making waves with this tempestuous performance, but the departure of their main roster allowed them the chance to start afresh for 2017. A new Schalke 04 was born, featuring Lennart "Jaeger" Warkus (who was then known as Smittyj), Jean-Victor "Loulex" Burgevin, Marcin "SELFIE" Wolski, Elias "Upset" Lipp, and Oskar "Vander" Bogdan. Most of these new players had at least a full seasons' worth of EU LCS experience, which bonded the team and catapulted them to their first record in the Challenger Series.
Schalke 04 were the first European team ever to go undefeated throughout an entire Challenger Series regular season, scooping a 5-0-0 record-breaking win. This was an incredible turnaround for the team, who went on to make some changes to their line-up following this, introducing Jonas "Memento" Elmarghichi, Marc "Caedrel" Lamont, and Tore "Tore" Eilertsen (then known as Norskeren) in time for the Challenger Series Summer Season. This new team bounced back onto the scene, going undefeated once again with an unprecedented 3-2-0 record in the regular season.
Schalke 04 set some records early on in their career, as the first EU team ever to go undefeated through an entire CS regular season.
This string of victories qualified Schalke 04 for the EU LCS 2018 Spring Promotion, after beating Red Bulls 3-1 and Ninjas in Pyjamas 3-0. In preparation for the season, a new roster was announced, signing, among others, Kiss "Vizicsacsi" Tamás, Milo "Pridestalkr" Wehnes, Erlend "nukeduck" Holm, and welcomed back Vander from his stint at Team Vitality. Two new coaches were also enrolled in the hopes of another record-breaking finish.
Tragically, this newfound luck took a hit, and the Mitch "Krepo" Voorspoels-run Schalke 04 finished eighth once again in the Spring Split, capping at a 7-11 record. The team remained hopeful, keeping their focus on versatile players. The Summer Split also introduced now-retired player Maurice "Amazing" Stückenschneider, who appeared to bring the team together, allowing them to perform more consistently. The resulting approach was one that held far more aggression than previous line-ups, and provided a thrilling game which ultimately ended in heartbreak. Schalke 04 were upset by Fnatic, and their loss in the Regional Finals meant the team missed out on being the European representation at the 2018 World Championship.
**A fresh start**
In November 2019, Riot Games announced they would be pairing with Schalke 04, along with nine other teams, for the LEC 2019 Spring Season. This prompted another line-up change, this time focused around complementing Upset, who had been with the team since 2017. Andrei "Odoamne" Pascu, Lee "IgNar" Dong-geun, and Felix "Abbedagge" Braun all joined afresh, while Memento was picked up from his stint at Team ROCCAT.
Sadly, Schalke 04 ended the Spring Season in seventh place after losing to SK Gaming in a tense tie-breaker game. The team chose to shake up their roster again, enlisting Kim "Trick" Gang-yun to the squad, a now retired jungler who won four consecutive EU LCS titles during the 2016/17 seasons. Speaking about Schalke 04's incredible roster of talent over the years, Farnir remarks that "it shows the great work we did at Schalke. From developing young rookies like Upset to reviving some careers (i.e. Odoamne, Amazing, Trick), we're proud of what we achieved."
Each season ushered in a new team for Schalke 04, who saw some of the best talent in LoL don the blue shirt.
Trick's presence, and newly implemented aggression in the team, helped to boost them from seventh to fourth place – with a guaranteed pass to the Playoffs in the Summer Season. Going up against Vitality in the first round, Schalke found their feet and dominated, closing with a 3-1 win. They then upset Rogue in the second round with the same score, heading to Athens to compete in the gauntlet. Although ultimately the team was denied an appearance at Worlds, they held their heads high going into 2020 – a season that defined them.
After the departure during the offseason of Trick, Upset, and IgNar, Schalke 04 were joined by Konstantinos-Napoleon "Forg1ven" Tzortziou, Han "Dreams" Min-kook, and head coach Dylan Falco, who introduced a 10-man roster. This aggressive approach, and the determination of the new team, propelled FC Schalke into the most incredible performance of their career.
**The Miracle Run**
After an unremarkable Spring Season, the team pulled what's been referred to as a "miracle run" out of the bag during the Summer. The first few games were tough, as the team grappled with the new 10-man line-up. Odoamne was [quoted at the time as saying][1] "Our synergy and team cohesion wasn't there," but the team knew they could do better. Week after week, losses kept pouring in, with no wins for the side despite endless reshuffling and determination. By their own admission, the players began to lose confidence as they started week four with seven defeats and no wins.
Enter Gilius, one of the original line-up who had pivoted back to the team in time for the Playoffs. He struck a chord with the rest of the team, bringing confidence and positivity in a time where things were looking dire. Finally, after a total of eight losses, Schalke stormed to victory in a game against Fnatic, leading Aaron "Medic" Chamberlain to announce: "you may beat Schalke eight times, but no one beats Schalke nine times in a row!"
Schalke 04 used this half-way point to try and bolster up their score. Going through week five with no other wins, the team entered week six more determined than ever. After so many losses, the team appeared to have nothing more to lose, giving them an aggressive and carefree edge that began to pay dividends.
[1]: https://lolesports.com/article/the-long-read-%E2%80%93-how-fc-schalke-04-pulled-off-their-miracle-run-to-playoffs/blt90960eb32dadd2bb
FC Schalke 04 came back from incredible odds in their 2020 Miracle Run.
Between week six and seven, the team racked up four more wins, with three more the following week, coming out of absolutely nowhere to climb the ranks to sixth place. This incredible feat of courage and persistence meant the team had qualified for the Playoffs, surmising exactly what this team brought so often to the game.
Schalke ended up coming fifth in the Playoffs, but this "miracle run" is now a key part of LEC history, and something that gilded the legacy of the team. "Although chances of making the playoffs were below one percent at the beginning," Farnir says, "hype around the Miracle Run grew with every win. Honestly, it was something very, very unlikely, I don't expect something like that to happen again for a long time". Many players during this time were scouted by other LEC teams due to their tenacious spirit.
**Fare thee well**
The 2021 Spring Season saw continued success, as Schalke 04 placed fourth overall despite some tense games. Things were looking up for the team, but June saw the announcement that the Schalke 04 team slot and license in the LEC would be sold to Team BDS. After a tricky Summer Season, the team finished last, but will leave a colourful legacy that spans both heartbreak and success.
We may be saying goodbye to the LoL team who have provided fans with such a thrilling ride over the last few years, but they certainly won't be forgotten. Tim Reichert, the managing director of Schalke 04's esports division since 2016, still sees the team as a source of great pride. "We have achieved something great with esports at Schalke,'' he said in the [official sale statement][1], "Our entry into League of Legends was viewed critically from many sides, but we were able to prove early on how future-oriented our commitment ultimately was."
[1]: https://schalke04.de/esports/en/royal-blues-earn-265-mio-euros-sale-lec-slot/
The team had some great wins, and tragic losses, but they will always be remembered for their tenacity and determination.
Looking at the future for some of the key players, Farnir tells us, "they'll find new homes. Be it within Team BDS, the buyer of our spot, or other teams competing in LEC… Being present in the LEC was an incredible adventure, we reached fans we wouldn't necessarily reach with our core [football] business and built a great community. We also built a business that was able to support the core business while being competitive and entertaining fans all around the world. We were responsible for unforgettable memories, and would love to come back one day."
As for the fans who have ridden the ups and downs over the years, Farnir thanks them all. "There's not much to say except thank you from the bottom of my heart. It was a great journey, I hope you all enjoyed it and, most importantly, were entertained by our team. If you have one (or more) good memory linked to Schalke 04, then it was worth it."
Schalke 04 will be missed in the LEC, and we hope the talented current team all find their feet – but the versatility and ability to pull a win seemingly from nowhere will remain as the enduring legacy of this departing team.
