LCS Championship-winning support reportedly headed to the LEC in 2024

Rumors around the LCS have led many to believe some of the best players competing in NA may be headed to the LEC, and that’s been substantiated by IgNar reportedly leaving NRG to head back to Europe.

NRG’s run has been one of the best in the West for 2023. Though Weibo stopped their Worlds 2023 run in its tracks in the Quarterfinals, they were still the only Western team to make it there at all.

With the copium that comes along with Weibo making it to the Grand Finals against T1 aside, it’s clear that NRG’s roster is one of the best in recent memory for the LCS. This lightning in a bottle team was built on an unsustainable foundation that put some of the best heads in the LCS on the task of making them a genuinely great team.

As a result, NRG has begun to split apart in the off-season. Aside from a few layoffs amongst their management and coaching staff, IgNar is headed to back to Europe to compete with EXCEL according to a report from Sheep Esports.

IgNar reportedly departs the LCS for the LEC in 2024

Out of everyone that made NRG’s 2023 run special, IgNar feels like one of the least appreciated members of the team. Though NRG’s strong topside foundation that remained from when they were CLG earlier this year was a huge part of their win, IgNar’s addition to the team along with FBI played a crucial role in their success.

Though many hoped that this NRG roster would run it back and try to improve for LCS 2024, it appears that IgNar may have other plans: Playing for EXCEL.

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IgNar moving to EXCEL in 2024 wouldn’t be the first time he’s competed in Europe. In fact, one of IgNar’s most successful runs in his pro play career was on the now-defunct Team Misfits all the way back in 2016-2017.

He also went on to play for the also now-defunct Schalke-04 LEC team in 2019, making his time in the LEC extensive despite having competed in North America for the past few years.

It remains to be seen if IgNar’s departure is the start of a trend of LCS greats headed to Europe, or if he’s just returning to his LEC roots.