FPX 2019: Doinb and forgotten Europe

Europe’s year

2019 was Europe’s year. G2 Esports — Wunder, Jankos, Caps, Perkz, Mikyx — had won MSI by destroying SKT and Team Liquid, playing the most fun and flexible LoL ever seen, with Pyke and Syndra bot and off-meta picks everywhere.

Paris awaited a European coronation at the AccorHotels Arena.

The Chinese wall

Across the stage, FunPlus Phoenix: GimGoon, Tian, Doinb, Lwx and Crisp. A team without mechanical superstars but with the most oiled system on the planet, built around a unique midlaner: Doinb, the king of roams, weird champions and four-language shotcalling.

A 3-0 nobody saw coming

The final was a tactical masterclass: Tian nullified Jankos, Doinb on Nautilus and Ryze broke the map and Lwx did not die all series. 3-0 FPX in front of a Parisian crowd that went from delirium to silence.

G2, the most beloved team of the year, missed the crown. Doinb lifted the cup doing his famous dance and Tian took MVP.

Legacy

FPX proved system beats talent when the system has a brain like Doinb. And Europe learned its hardest lesson: playing beautifully is not enough in a Worlds final.

Paris 2019: the night Europe touched the sky and met a phoenix.