jojopyun set to make LoL history as Europe’s first NA import player
Tina Jo/Riot GamesWith jojopyun teasing that he’ll be tearing up Europe and multiple reports that MAD Lions KOI have signed him, it’s all but set in stone that North America’s very own mid lane prodigy will be the first NA starter in the history of European League of Legends.
Oddly enough, there’s a timeline where jojopyun went to compete in South Korea last year, with the player having a number of options on the table for both this year and last.
He went with Cloud9 in 2024, a decision that’d end up being a mistake, as the team failed to make it to an international event the entire year. But Jojo failing to make a mark in 2024 didn’t make his 2025 off-season any less hectic.
Ibai claimed to have made an offer to the player, with some members of KOI going as far as begging jojopyun to come to EU. And, as long he’s not trolling everyone just to rile up Twitter, jojo’s coming to Europe.
He didn’t confirm which team he’d be coming to so there’s a shot that someone other than MAD signed him based on this tweet, but, according to off-season roster reports and knowledge made public by the org’s owners, he’s all but locked in for the Spanish team.
When Dexerto interviewed Caps at Worlds 2024, he claimed that he’d love to have some more domestic competition, but that he didn’t want to compete in the LPL or LCK to do it. Now, he might just get his wish.
It’s worth noting, however, that jojopyun isn’t technically the first North American player to compete in Europe, just the first one to be imported for a starting roster.
NA coach Inero played his only pro match ever in Europe, with him being subbed in on MOUZ’s EU Challengers roster way back in 2015. Outside of this one match, though, it’ll be the first time a North American player is competing on a European team.