Fnatic Leo steps down from VALORANT amid health concerns

After over a year of absence from Fnatic’s active roster, Leo ‘Leo’ Jannesson has decided to part ways with the organisation and competitive VALORANT altogether.

While the exact details behind his departure were brief in the official announcement, Fnatic’s VALORANT Team Director has since gone on to highlight that it is due to health issues.

“It’s been a very challenging period over the last 15 or so months, and I never expected it to end this way,” said Fnatic’s VALORANT Team Director, Colin ‘CoJo’ Johnson. 

“To see a player as talented and hardworking as Leo put away the mouse due to illness feels like a knife in the gut.”

Fnatic uploaded a video bidding farewell to Leo, giving us a glimpse of his time in the team and his heroic clutches on stage. 

Fans haven’t heard directly from Leo since July 2024, when he last shared an update about his inability to play due to his ‘physical condition’.

Leo was arguably one of the best initiator players VALORANT has ever seen, and not only that, his presence of mind in high-pressure situations was what set him apart from the rest. 

He caught the limelight during his time at Guild Esports, where he secured victories against powerhouses such as Fnatic, FUT Esports and Acend.

The player was signed by Fnatic in 2022 and has created a massive impact, helping the team win its first-ever international VCT event, VCT 2023: LOCK//IN São Paulo, as the tournament’s MVP. 

“Truly depressing. Leo set the standards for how great VALORANT should be played, and most still don’t come close,” shared Fnatic’s former coach, Jacob ‘mini’ Harris.

Apart from this, he lifted the VALORANT Masters Tokyo 2023 trophy with the organisation and won VCT 2023: EMEA League Initiator of the Year award.

It remains unclear whether Leo will ever return to VALORANT, but he will be remembered as one of the most consistent players of all time, someone Fnatic’s IGL, Jake ‘Boaster’ Howlett, could always rely on.