Los Ratones Lost the Playoffs but Won the Hearts

LEC Versus 2026 stood out as a unique event in recent years. This championship featured not only 10 partnered teams but also 2 ERL teams that had demonstrated strong results in their league throughout the year. These teams were Karmine Corp Blue and the focus of our story today - Los Ratones.

The Beginning of the Los Ratones Story

Los Ratones is a team from the United Kingdom, created on November 15, 2024, by Marc Lamont, known online as Caedrel. He is a former professional player and currently streams and casts tournaments. The name itself translates from Spanish as "Mice". This originated from an inside joke on his broadcasts, where he often associated himself and his viewers with rodents.

The project was initially conceived as a mix of media presence and competitive play. The first roster included popular streamers and former pro players with large audiences. In January 2025, they entered the official European league, NLC. The main feature of Los Ratones was that they began broadcasting their practice matches (scrims) live. Viewers could listen to the team's live communication and follow their preparation for matches. This helped them gather a massive fanbase and become one of the most discussed teams in Europe.

Los Ratones Roster:

• Thebausffs (Simon Hofverberg) - Top
• Velja (Veljko Čamdžić) - Jungle
• Nemesis (Tim Lipovšek) - Mid
• Crownie (Juš Marušič) - Bot
• Rekkles (Carl Martin Erik Larsson) - Support

Fans of League of Legends and its professional and media spheres will understand the significant viewership this roster attracted purely based on the names of the players.

The Path of Los Ratones to LEC Versus 2026

Los Ratones were invited to the tournament as the best ERL team based on their 2025 results in the tier-2 scene. They managed to win almost every tournament they participated in, showing highly decisive performances.

• EMEA Masters 2025 Summer, 0:3, Karmine Corp Blue, 3rd place
• NLC 2025 Summer, 3:0, Verdant, 1st place
• EMEA Masters 2025 Spring, 3:0, Barça eSports, 1st place
• NLC 2025 Spring, 3:0, NORD Esports, 1st place
• EMEA Masters 2025 Winter, 3:0, Ici Japon Corp, 1st place
• NLC 2025 Winter, 3:0, NORD Esports, 1st place

As a result of this consistent success, they were named the team of the year and received a direct invitation to LEC Versus 2026.

LEC Versus 2026 vs Los Ratones

Despite their popularity and fan support, Los Ratones were considered underdogs at the tournament. This was expected, as it was their first major league event, and some members were in their rookie year as professional players.

The team started the tournament with a series of losses. At a 0-4 score, their chances of advancing seemed very low. They lost to teams they were expected to beat or at least compete closely with, as most of these matches were heavily one-sided.

Following these losses, the team secured a four-game win streak, bringing their group stage score to 4-4. During this run, they defeated strong opponents like G2 Esports and Movistar KOI, who ultimately finished first and third in the tournament, respectively.

In the final days of the tournament, the team held a 5-5 record with a high chance of reaching the playoffs. There were four possible scenarios for them to advance. To guarantee their spot, Los Ratones needed to defeat Team Vitality, which did not happen. The second scenario required NAVI to win against MKOI. The third outcome relied on Karmine Corp defeating Team Heretics. However, Karmine Corp lost due to an unreliable draft, and since they had already secured a playoff spot, the match had no impact on their standings. The final scenario that would have allowed Los Ratones to advance was a victory for Fnatic over G2 Esports, but this result also did not occur.

This marked the end of Los Ratones' run at LEC Versus 2026, where they finished in 9th place after the group stage. Despite the elimination, they left a significant mark on the League of Legends competitive scene and are remembered as one of the most notable teams of the event.

The Fate of Los Ratones After LEC Versus 2026

Upon the conclusion of the tournament, Caedrel "Marc Robert Lamont" announced the disbandment of Los Ratones. He and the players released a farewell video for the fans titled.

All members of the roster, with the exception of Thebausffs, have continued their professional careers in a newly formed team called Witchcraft. Bwipo, a former FlyQuest player, will replace Thebausffs in the top lane. This roster change significantly strengthens the squad, positioning Witchcraft as one of the most formidable and experienced rosters in the tier-2 scene ahead of the upcoming tournaments.

Although Caedrel is not officially affiliated with this new project, he has stated his intention to support Witchcraft in various ways. Given his significant media presence and influence, the new team will certainly retain a strong backing, as they were a core part of the Los Ratones era.