Thursday, December 19, marks the end of an era in the European League of Legends scene. This afternoon, Fnatic announced that Javier “Dardo” Zafra de Jáudenes would be stepping down as Team Director. The Spanish man, who has held the position since January 2020, will leave after five years at the helm of the Orange and Black's decision-making structure. In an open letter to fans, Zafra de Jáudenes revealed that he would step down at the end of January and elaborated on the reasons behind his decision:

“In my role, I’ve worn many hats, juggling responsibilities across strategy, operations, and team performance. Balancing these aspects within a single role has been incredibly demanding. My dedication to the team and my passion for this work led to an almost unending cycle of regional competitions, international tournaments, off-season negotiations, and year-long planning across multiple areas where finding time to step back, disconnect, and spend meaningful moments with my partner, family, and friends was, at times, almost impossible.”

Dardo also clarified that he would remain with Fnatic in a different role. His tenure as Team Director has been challenging at times: since his arrival—and, in fact, since the summer of 2018—Fnatic have failed to secure a single trophy. The most decorated European team of the 2010s has lost seven finals during Dardo's time with the organization and has been completely overshadowed by its archrival, G2 Esports. While the rosters assembled by Dardo have therefore almost always remained competitive in the LEC—the only notable exception being the start of 2023—this extended trophy drought has ultimately alienated many Fnatic fans.

Dardout

For several seasons, fans have clamored for the “Dardout,” Dardo’s departure as Team Director. Early 2023 marked a significant low point, with Dardo retreating from public appearances following Fnatic's lackluster performance. Nearly two years later, he admitted in his open letter that this decision was a misstep:

“This decision wasn’t driven by arrogance but by a need to protect my mental health and focus all my energy on supporting the team, players, and coaches. However, I now recognize that I should probably have been more transparent—sharing the realities and challenges we faced while continuing to shed light on my role and showing the human side of my journey.”

Fnatic's unlucky charm?

Nonetheless, Dardo has played a key role in constructing the 2025 roster. Ironically, the upcoming season may present Fnatic with their best chance in years to break the curse: after two years of unchallenged dominance, G2 are entering a new cycle and may require more than one split to build their synergies. Fnatic and Dardo have chosen to retain three players who remain among the best in their roles—Oscar “Oscarinin” Muñoz, Iván “Razork” Martín, and Marek “Humanoid” Brázda—while bringing back one of the LEC's most consistent AD carries, Elias “Upset” Lipp, and signing former G2 player Mihael “Mikyx” Mehle.

If this roster succeeds in reclaiming glory, Dardo will not receive the accolades, despite being its chief architect. This scenario could further cement the narrative that he was, unwittingly, Fnatic’s unlucky charm.