How total underdogs became Europe’s best LoL team in just one season

For almost the entirety of its existence, LEC and EU LCS before it has been dominated by just two teams – Fnatic and G2 Esports. The two teams combined have won 14 out of the 15 splits in the league. 

After almost a complete rebuild they assembled a squad that is full of youth and potential for the 2020 season. MAD Lions looked like a promising project for the future. No one could have predicted how successful they would turn out to be leading the standings going into the last two weeks of the LEC Summer Split.

The team had a very successful first split in Spring 2020 finishing 3rd overall largely due to the contributions of the new rookies Zhiqiang ‘Shad0w’ Zhao and Matyáš ‘Carzzy’ Orság defeating G2 Esports in a best of five along the way.

In Summer they have been much more versatile but the main standouts have been mid-laner Marek ‘Humanoid’ Brázda and support Norman ‘Kaiser’ Kaiser. With the latter being awarded the Mid-Season MVP from the LEC broadcast team.

This is the story of MAD Lions the rookie team who went from unknowns to the last hope of Europe going into Worlds 2020.