Stomping their way through the League of Legends Worlds 2024 Play-In, GAM Esports has now qualified for the Swiss Stage after convincing victories against Fukuoka SoftBank HAWKS Gaming and Movistar R7. To celebrate the victory, the team's AD Carry, EasyLove, gave an exclusive interview to Sheep Esports to discuss his team's advancement, what keeps him motivated to push through, and his thirst for revenge.

After today’s Worlds 2024 Play-In win against Rainbow7, how do you feel now that GAM Esports has qualified for the Main Event Swiss Stage?

Easylove: "I was very surprised that our team got into Swiss so easily.

You had a tough spring with your previous team due to match-fixing issues, and you were the only player not banned. Then you moved to GAM and won two back-to-back titles, making it to two international events. What does it mean to you, after starting the year so poorly, to now be at the World’s main event and competing against top teams?

Easylove: So, in the beginning of the year, there was a dark time for the VCS. I joined a team that went through a lot of drama, and I had to take a break because of that before joining GAM. I had a lot of moments where I thought about whether I should just give in and join the dark side. But when I thought about it, I realized that League of Legends has given me a lot. League gave me my family's recognition, gave me fame and a job. So, I don't want to stain that. And, partly thanks to my mother's teachings, I decided not to let myself go and stay true.

You’ve had to endure a lot, not just in spring but also in summer when you had to share your spot with another ADC. How did you stay calm, keep your mental strength, and manage to keep working so hard to reclaim your starting position and represent Vietnam on the world stage?

Easylove: It mostly comes down to three things I'm proud of. First, it's my faith. Whenever I'm in trouble, I chant to Buddha and hope for a better tomorrow. I've been living this way for the past seven years.

The second thing is my family. I promised my mom I would become a champion and win for her. I always think about that every time I enter a match.

And the third thing is my teammates. I've lost faith in teammates before, but after joining GAM, I was gifted some really, really good ones that I can count on. I see every day how hard my teammates work, and I don’t want to disappoint them. It mostly comes down to my family, the support from them, and my teammates.

This is only your second international event. At MSI, you lost to Fnatic twice and couldn’t advance to the main event. Are there any teams you’re looking forward to facing? Or is Fnatic your biggest rival right now?

Easylove: Definitely Fnatic. I think Fnatic is a team I respect a lot. After losing to Fnatic, I lost sleep for about a month. So I kept thinking about it. I think instead of being afraid of that, I should just go for it. I want to get revenge on Fnatic this Worlds. I hope we will meet again, and that I can be the one to see you off, it will be a beautiful day.

You were at MSI in China, and now you're here in Berlin. How has it been adapting to the Berlin weather and playing on stage in the LEC studio?

Easylove: The studio makes me feel like a country boy; everything here is so modern and advanced. It really amazes me. As for the city, I’ve been paying a lot of attention to the streets, the people, and the buildings from the hotel to the studio. It’s very beautiful, mesmerizing even.

The studio also feels great to play in. I feel at home here, even though everything around me is so surprising. The weather is really nice too, and the air is really clean.

Everyone talks about your captain Levi and his Shyvana. Today we also saw Emo play Yone. Are there any more exciting picks you’ve been preparing that we can look forward to?

Easylove: Recently, Levi has been thinking a lot about playing Kai'Sa jungle, and we’ve been testing it here and there. So, if things go well, you might see some Kai'Sa in the jungle in the future.

When people hear your story, they often jokingly refer to you as the main character of this story. Do you think of yourself that way?

Easylove: People have told me about this a lot. I think I'm just a normal person, you know? It feels pretty good to be an inspiration to people. It’s a good thing because League has given me a lot of inspiration, and it feels great to know that I'm channeling some of that inspiration back into others as well.

Before we close, do you have any final words for your fans?

Easylove: Thank you all for the support you've given us through the dark times of the VCS. I hope everyone enjoys this positive energy from us. We'll try our best to reach the top 8 and redeem the image of the VCS for all our fans."