In the history of League of Legends, many teams have claimed victory at major international tournaments like MSI and the World Championship. Some teams, such as Royal Never Give Up or SKT T1/T1, even treat events like MSI and the World Championship as their own playground. This is because they dominate almost entirely and hold the record for the most championships. However, even teams like RNG or SKT T1/T1 have experienced deep crises right after their titles. In fact, this is not an exception but rather quite common in the global League of Legends scene.
One of the most talked-about World Championship champions is FunPlus Phoenix. Not only did they have a “dimmer” performance compared to Invictus Gaming before them, but they are also considered inferior to Edward Gaming, as FPX’s journey in 2019 was simpler than that of EDG, which had to compete against 3 out of 4 representatives from the LCK. Moreover, FPX’s World Championship skins have been criticized as some of the “worst” designs. However, one of the most infamous factors surrounding FPX is their deep internal conflicts. Previously, there were issues between Doinb and Tian, Nuguri’s interactions with teammates, and most recently, conflicts between players and the coach.
According to information from LPL viewers, after a regular scrim, FPX player Xiaolaohu had a heated argument with coach Mouse, and was scolded by the team’s manager (Denny) using vulgar language, subsequently being kicked out of the gaming house. Additionally, according to LPL audience reports, the argument with the manager stemmed from the fact that he, despite only having a Master rank, frequently interfered in the scrim process. Not to mention actions like cutting salaries without notice, violating contracts, imposing difficult rules, and holding constant meetings. Furthermore, during the argument with Xiaolaohu, both parties had some “physical interactions” with each other.
In the Spring 2024 split, FPX surprisingly made notable progress, finishing the group stage in 4th place. However, the “Phoenix” lost their very first match in the playoffs and ended up in 5th-6th place overall. But with the recent drama, many FPX fans have grounds to worry about a dismal Summer season looming ahead for the former World Champion.