Kamil "Kamiloo" Haudegond’s move to Team Heretics marked a historic movement in the offseason. The French midlaner has leapt straight from LFL Division 2 to the LEC, bypassing both the LFL and other ERLs entirely—a feat never heard of in competitive League of Legends. Despite this unconventional path, the 19-year-old exudes confidence and ambition. In this interview, we delve deep into his journey: from discovering LoL to proving himself against LEC midlaners, and his bold aspirations for the future.

Originally released in October 2024, this interview is a condensed and translated version of a 90-minute livestream. For the full, in-depth discussion, you can watch the original interview, now available with English subtitles, thanks to @lidso_.

How did you get into video games?

Kamil "Kamiloo" Haudegond: "My older brother introduced me to video games. He’s twelve years older than me, and I often played with him, my older sister, and a cousin. We mainly played Nintendo games: GameCube, Wii, Smash Bros., Mario Kart... but very few FPS games. I tried everything except those types of games, until I started playing VALORANT, my first FPS, which I got into a bit late. I also loved games like Xenoblade Chronicles and Pokémon, especially the 5th generation with Black, White, and their sequels. They were the last 2D games, and the story was really memorable. I also enjoyed Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire for their post-game content.

How did you discover League Of Legends?

Kamiloo: I discovered LoL at the age of 10, thanks to my brother and cousin. They played often, but they thought I was too young for it since it required a PC and the game was PEGI 13. For a month, I just watched them play. I had stars in my eyes every game. At the same time, I watched videos on loop: gameplay, lore... everything fascinated me. Eventually, my brother gave in and let me play. I was so excited! By then, I already knew all the champion abilities which I read the descriptions of, but in-game, it was a different story: I was Bronze/Silver with terrible mechanics and map awareness. But even so, I had so much fun.

How was your rise in soloQ?

Kamiloo: I started in Silver, but as I kept playing, I leveled up each year: Gold, Platinum, etc. When I was Platinum, I spammed normals with my older sister. It wasn’t until Season 9 that I started tryharding and reached D1, one game away from the BO Master. I played Pyke support aggressively, but I lacked basic knowledge like freeze and slow push. My mechanical talent compensated a bit. A friend told me I was mechanically gifted but too clueless about the game. I started watching coaching videos, and at 16, I went from Diamond to Challenger in one season.

How did you first step into competitive play?

Kamiloo: When I hit Grand Master after about a hundred games with a 65% win rate, I thought, "This is impressive, I’m going to find a team." I mainly wanted to participate in a LAN, the atmosphere fascinated me. So, I posted a message looking for a team for Lyon Esport, even though at the time we didn’t even know if there would be LoL there. Managers DM’d me, explained the scene, and that’s how I started in competitive play. I found a team in the Open Tour France, now the Nexus Tour (NT). The results weren’t great at first, we couldn’t even make it past Day 2.

How did you make it to LFL Division 2? You weren’t full-time at the time, what were you doing on the side?

Kamiloo: I made it to Div 2 thanks to a big boost of motivation at the end of the season and the guidance of a coach, Polosh, who helped me for a month. By the end, I hit Challenger with 1100 LP, which was top 100 back then. That caught the attention of several teams, and I had tryouts with five teams. But since I wasn’t full-time, some of those tryouts didn’t work out. Eventually, I chose Project Conquerors (PCS) quickly, even though Atletec took longer to respond. On the side, I was finishing high school, it was my senior year, so I was juggling between Div 2 and my studies. At first, it was tough, but it got better toward the end.

How was your first experience with PCS?

Kamiloo: At first, it was tough, especially with the organization. We had no days off, and I’d go from school straight into scrims. I managed my time poorly, I did a lot of sparring but not much solo queue. Plus, I played champions I didn’t like as much, like Lissandra, which was mentally challenging. But in the end, it helped me grow, and I learned a lot. Afterward, I joined Atletec in the Summer Split, where I had the chance to reconnect with Cook (Ismaël Lakel), a coach I’d already worked with in NT.

Did commit full-time make a difference for you?

Kamiloo: It didn’t change much in terms of work methods, since I didn’t really know how to be efficient yet. But mentally, it was easier to focus on scrims without having to deal with my studies and exams. It allowed me to concentrate better on the game.

What was your long-term goal at that point? Did you already think about LFL, LEC?

Kamiloo: Yes, as soon as I started competing in LoL, I knew I wanted to go further than the small leagues. I really wanted to try joining the LFL and then, if possible, the LEC. My goal was to win Worlds multiple times. I’m determined to measure myself against Faker (Lee Sang-hyeok), and I want to be compared to him, or even be better. I believe it takes time, but I think it’s possible.

How is it possible to win Worlds multiple times?

Kamiloo: Yes, I’m convinced it’s possible. If you look at Faker, he’s always managed to perform in an ultra-competitive league. He’s always been able to qualify for Worlds and perform, even when his roster wasn’t at its best. He’s a role model for me, and I think I can follow that path.

You said you didn’t necessarily seek to be competitive at first, but it’s actually what motivates you today. Is it a natural evolution?

Kamiloo: Yes, at first, what I liked was mainly playing for fun and having interesting games. My brother showed me the LEC when I was 10, and I thought it was amazing. I wanted people watching my games to enjoy it as much as I did back then. But over time, that competitiveness became a real motivation. Today, I want to be the best at what I do.

Did you have any players or teams that inspired you at that time?

Kamiloo: Back then, I admired Rekkles (Martin Larsson) because his career was impressive; he started young and strong. But over time, that respect faded a bit. Today, the player I really respect is Faker, for his consistency and impact on his team. He’s a role model for me.

In LFL Division 2, you’re already applying this mentality. Does it bring success to your team?

Kamiloo: I think so. Spring was a pretty calm time at IziDream, everything was going well. But Summer was a bit more complicated, a bit more dysfunctional at times. During that time, I took on more and more responsibility because I knew I had to do more. I focused on myself and on what I could bring to the team. And I think it’s Summer that allowed me to progress a lot on many points. For example, my vocal leadership, which the team I joined really liked. I worked a lot on that because we needed a leader. We needed someone to motivate the team and lift the mood. And I think that was positive, even though it was difficult.

Are you already a leader in-game?

Kamiloo: It depends. Sometimes, I don’t have all the answers yet, but as soon as I recognize a pattern in the game, I take the vocal lead and tell everyone what to do. If I know how a situation should be played, I’ll play it that way and guide the team. And generally, it works well, and we manage to snowball the game.

Did you reach your goals with IziDream?

Kamiloo: Overall, IziDream didn’t put pressure on us in terms of performance, but we put it on ourselves. We didn’t want to lose; we were aiming for the Up&Down. Spring was excellent, we finished first in the regular season with a 15-3, we dominated the competition. But in playoffs, for example, I think I underperformed in the final. I wasn’t ready on certain points, and I wasn’t clear enough with some team members, particularly Blidzy (Ianis Paul). That contributed to our defeat, although I wasn’t the only one responsible. Summer was more difficult. There were changes, like Blidzy’s departure. We didn’t start well, but we managed to recover, finished 4th, and made it to the final. However, we weren’t as good as Ici Japon [Who qualified later to LFL], who deserved to win the final and the Up &Down. It was a mixed year because while Spring aligned with our ambitions, Summer was more difficult.

It must have been tough not to pass the Up&Down. How did you experience that?

Kamiloo: In reality, what was tough was the beginning of Summer. We found ourselves at 4-8 after being at 15-3 in Spring. It was a hard blow mentally, but once we were in the final, and even in the semi-final against Montpellier HSC, we knew the Up&Down would be complicated. We just wanted to perform better than in the Summer final and try to take a few games from them. In the end, we knew we were weaker and just tried to show a better face.

What were your expectations for the 2024-2025 offseason?

Kamiloo: There were two teams I had in mind: Karmine Corp Blue and Vitality.Bee. For KC Blue, it was for the fact of joining Blidzy, with whom I’d worked really well. Plus, the KC community really attracted me. Playing in front of a crowd like that is incredible, especially in the LFL. The other option was Vitality.Bee because Czajek (Mateusz Czajka) was moving up, and I considered that the gap with him wasn’t that big. If things went wrong for him, I might have had the chance to move up. But the goal, no matter the team, was to have a solid season and then make it to the LEC. I was already confident in my performance in scrims with IziDream, I knew I could be solid at the top ERL level, and no matter the team, I just wanted to show that the LEC was an achievable goal for me.

Were you contacted by other teams than those two?

Kamiloo: Yes, I was contacted by seven or eight teams in the LFL. But I believe two teams really contacted me concretely. One team in the LFL didn’t contact me at all. In other ERLs, I almost joined Heretics' academy. But Jackspektra (Jakob Kepple) suddenly retired the day that I was supposed to lock-in, so they had to look for a midlaner with an LTR status.

Why was Heretics' academy, Los Heretics, particularly attractive to you at that time?

Kamiloo: It was because there was a possibility to work with Jackspektra, with whom I had a very good synergy. Also, I really liked the atmosphere and the idea of playing with that roster. If we had been together, I think we could have aimed for EMEA Masters and even potentially contested the LEC spot in mid.

Did that situation with Los Heretics disappoint you?

Kamiloo: At that moment, I thought I was going to end up in a bottom-tier LFL team because the top teams were taking their time. It wasn’t that I didn’t feel interesting to them, but it was weird. I didn’t have any concrete news, and I felt a bit ignored. Then, a week later, I had two LEC tryouts and a lot of interest from top LFL teams. It all happened really fast, and it was a bit surprising.

Did you go far in the recruitment process with both LEC teams?

Kamiloo: Yes, I had an interview phase, and then tryouts with the LEC teams. Both teams did tryouts, and in the end, I had as many tryouts in the LFL as in the LEC, which is kind of funny. It’s similar to the LFL, where some teams recruit without doing tryouts. But overall, these two LEC teams were willing to give me a chance.

Did you already see yourself in the LEC?

Kamiloo: No, I didn't see myself in the LEC at that time. The tryouts were a first step, but I knew that everything could change depending on everyone's performances. There are always external factors that come into play. So, I preferred not to get ahead of myself. I just wanted to do good tryouts, and we'd see what would happen.

How did your LEC tryouts go?

Kamiloo: They went well. One thing people told me was that my communication was really good, and they were pleasantly surprised that I was confident in my gameplay. So, overall, it went well. I think it was mostly the in-houses. I spammed a lot of the in-houses from Worlds and ended up playing against players like Bin (Chen Zebin), Xun (Peng Li-Xun), On (Luo Wenjun), Perkz (Luka Perkovic), Caps (Rasmus Winther), etc. And in general, I performed well, even against Caps—I had a good performance. I think that's what made a difference.

Did you also play against LPL or LCK players in the in-houses?

Kamiloo: No, unfortunately, our mids are a bit of slackers. So, I was able to join the in-houses with priority from Div2, so I was often in lobbies with Perkz, Caps, Vladi (Vladimiros Kourtidis), but never against LPL or LCK players. In-houses actually how I got my second tryout. One team needed a mid, and I joined them. I had three good games, and I think that's how I got the tryout.

At what point did you realize that you would play in LEC?

Kamiloo: I suspected it was done when we got to the final two tryouts. I thought that as long as I performed well, I’d make it. It was against an LEC mid, and it went well, so at that point, I thought it was likely I’d be picked, but I didn’t want to rush things. Eventually, it was confirmed—and the wild part is, you knew about it before I did (laughs)!

Did you believe in Team Heretics' LEC projet?

Kamiloo: I thought there was something to be done. If I didn’t believe in the LEC project, I would have gone for a top LFL project. But here, I believe in the team I joined. I would never join a project if I thought there was nothing to be done. I much prefer to join a team I believe in. For me, it’s the best choice. It's also important to have a good staff and management that isn’t too invasive. Otherwise, things can go wrong quickly. For example, if a team has a good Winter but a bad Spring, some managements panic and bench players. But I trust my staff and the other players. That's why I believe in it.

Team Heretics received some criticism for fielding too many rookies on the same roster, what do you think of that?

Kamiloo: I think, in the end, there’s not a huge difference between a rookie and a veteran. Sometimes the difference is made in how the team and problems are managed, not just in gameplay. For example, MAD Lions this year put rookies with a veteran and a good staff, and it worked well. A rookie can also bring things outside of the game, like resolving issues in the team, which is often expected from a veteran.

Do you think seeing rosters in terms of veterans and rookies is too simplistic?

Kamiloo: Yeah, it can be simplistic, but every situation is different. As a rookie, I have experiences where I act like a veteran, especially outside of the game. I think it's case by case, but sometimes the distinction can work. The most important things are the player’s skill, team cohesion, and how problems are managed.

Who are the best midlaners in the LEC?

Kamiloo: The best are definitely Caps and Nuc (Ilias Bizriken). They have different strengths, but they’re the two strongest. The rest are below, in my opinion.

What are Caps’ strengths compared to Nuc, or the other way around?

Kamiloo: Caps is very creative, especially in teamfights. He finds flanks with champions like Neeko, and it’s really hard to play against him. Nuc, on the other hand, is very strong early game, especially on his lane. I think that’s one of my strong points too, but Nuc is better than me at that.

Do you think that you can be stronger in lane than Caps?

Kamiloo: I think I can challenge him sometimes. He’s strong, but there are also moments where he can be a bit shaky on certain things, and that’s when I can take advantage.

Which team are you most excited to face?

Kamiloo: Probably G2 Esports because they have the two best solo laners, I think. It’s interesting to play against them as a solo laner. But also BDS, to see how the duo 113 (Doğukan Balcı)- Parus (Polat Çiçek) will work.

What about the other rosters, what do you think?

Kamiloo: KC is interesting too, especially with Vladi. I’ve played against him in scrims, but I’m looking forward to playing against him officially. It’ll be a different dynamic. I think it would be cool to face them at Worlds, especially if it’s in their arena.

What do you think of the new LEC format?

Kamiloo: The LEC format is pretty cool, but I would have preferred if it was Bo3 from the Winter. Bo3 is more interesting, especially for rookies, as it gives them more chances to show themselves. But after, the switch to Bo3 for the rest of the year is a big improvement. What I also love is the live patch, it’s a real quality of life improvement. In solo queue, you can play champions that are going to be nerfed the next day, but with the live patch, there’s no more dissonance between solo queue and scrims. It’s a big plus. However, the summer group system is intriguing. I saw that, but I haven’t seen how they’re going to determine it. If it’s done well, it could be really cool. But if it’s random, and you end up with G2, BDS, and other big teams, it could be strange. But overall, the changes are really interesting.

What are you goals for this year?

Kamiloo: My main goal is to aim for a top 3, both personally for my role and for the team. A top 3 that would allow us to aim for Worlds. It might be a bit ambitious, but those are my goals. I think the jump from Div 2 to the LEC is huge, even though I’m confident. I know I have strengths and weaknesses. But what’s also important is to have a team that works well together. If we stay focused and work without getting demoralized, we could find ourselves in a position where some teams lose their cohesion, and that could benefit us. I think top 3 is achievable, even if it’s not guaranteed, but it’s possible.

Do you think your team has really targeted hard-working players, or is it just luck?

Kamiloo: No, it’s not by chance. The bet on rookies was made thoughtfully. It’s not just luck picking rookies. They’ve chosen guys who are ready to work hard and put in the necessary effort. It’s a big factor for our success.

Why are you always smiling when talking about League Of Legends?

Kamiloo: I think I’m just a positive person in general. It doesn’t take much for me to be happy. Life is beautiful, there’s so much to smile about, so I smile. It’s as simple as that.

What do you want to say to the fans who follow you?

Kamiloo: I hope we’ll do great things this year, even though I won’t win Worlds this year. But next year, I plan to be in the quarter-finals and maybe even further. Thank you to everyone who supports me!"