Movistar R7 celebrated a historic victory against 100 Thieves at the 2024 League of Legends World Championship Play-In stage. According to R7 jungler Oddie, their win marks the start of a heartfelt farewell for the LLA, concluding its journey as an independent region on the global stage.
Coming into the match, R7 were not the favorites, but they proved everyone wrong, and as they took down the nexus turrets of 100T, the entire Riot Games Arena in Berlin erupted in cheers. “I wasn’t thinking of beating NA; this victory was for our region and our rookies,” said R7’s jungler and LLA veteran Sebastián “Oddie” Niño in an exclusive interview with Dot Esports.
As the merger between Latin American regions and NA approaches, Oddie said he felt the need to showcase the talent of his region at Worlds. Although he doesn’t know what will happen to him and his team in 2025, he’s determined to continue his career as a player—however, right now he doesn’t want to talk about the future. He’s focused on winning the 2024 World Championship for LLA and its fans.
“It’s not like we need to win because we are better,” Oddie told Dot. “We are just trying to win because we need to win for our region. I don’t want to win because I’m better now than I ever was, I just want to win so they—LLA fans—can be happy.”
As he reflected on this path he and his team are on, Oddie mentioned how the latest Worlds anthem, “Heavy is the Crown“ by Linkin Park, resonated deeply with him, as he feels the weight of carrying his region’s hopes and dreams in its final showing on the international stage.
“Obviously [the song] was for Faker and T1, but I was listening to it and thinking about myself because my whole region is literally dead now,” Oddie said. “I don’t know how to put it, but when I see people calling me the GOAT of my region, I feel like I have a lot on my shoulders. So I feel like that song it’s really good to hype me up.”
The announcement of dissolution of the LLA as a distinct region was a moment of reflection for the player who has spent his entire career rising through its ranks. Over the course of a decade, Oddie has become one of the most beloved and respected figures in the Latin American esports scene. Despite his love for his region and the passion he poured into his career over the years, initially Oddie wasn’t sad about the merger with the LCS.
But then it hit him. This was going to be the last time.
“I was surprised, but to be honest, it didn’t hurt me that much because it was still three or two months before the end of the Split,” Oddie told Dot. “But as soon as I won I was like, ‘oh, this is the last time here.’ When I finally won the LLA in that time it hurt me because I saw what it was: our region. Now it’s not there anymore. So that’s why this Worlds means so much to me. That’s why I put so much effort in playing and that’s why it matters.”
While fans and analysts alike often call him the GOAT of LLA, Oddie remains humble, deflecting attention away from himself throughout the entire interview while emphasizing the importance of the younger generation of players he accompanies on the stage.
As the Worlds stage welcomes fresh talent, Oddie is acutely aware of the new generation of players who are stepping into the limelight. With many rookies making their first appearances, including some of his own teammates, Oddie believes these young talents are the future of the game. He points out that the arrival of fresh faces keeps veterans like him sharp while making the game “more enjoyable,” forcing older players to “play harder” and reminding him of his own early days in the scene when he was the one pushing established players to their limits.
His respect for these rising stars is clear, and he’s especially proud of how well his rookies performed against 100 Thieves in their Worlds debut. For Oddie, the most gratifying part of their victory was seeing his teammates shine, proving that Latin America has what it takes to compete with and against the best.
But as he said, R7’s Worlds appearance isn’t about personal success—it’s about ensuring that Latin America’s final appearance as a standalone region is one to remember. With each victory, Oddie hopes to give fans a reason to smile, knowing that their region’s legacy will live on through the players and teams they’ve supported for years. And while heavy is the crown he bears, Oddie wears it with pride, knowing that he has done everything in his power to represent his region on the global stage one final time.
R7 will play against GAM Esports tomorrow at 7am CT, and the winning team will qualify for the Swiss stage of Worlds 2024.
Published: Sep 26, 2024 06:16 pm