Photo by Sasha Safronova/Riot Games
What would a Champions trophy do for the legacy of one of the greatest players in VCT history?
Ahead of Champions Shanghai, Team Vitality’s Chronicle, widely regarded as one of the best players in VCT EMEA history, was surprisingly candid about what a Champions trophy would add to his legacy.
“I’ve never thought about it,” Chronicle told Ult Orb’s Entree. “I mean, obviously, EMEA has not had a trophy for years already… I do believe that also the whole region does not really care about it.”
Read: ‘A last ride’: BABYBAY’s bittersweet outlook on G2’s Champions Shanghai campaign
Since winning the first two Champions trophies in 2021 and 2022 and then lifting the LOCK//IN São Paulo and Masters Tokyo trophies in 2023, EMEA has failed to claim an international trophy. Chronicle played a central part of that 2023 season with FNATIC, but the region as a whole has come up just short in recent years.
Team Heretics finished second at Masters Shanghai and Champions Seoul in 2024, and Chronicle and FNATIC finished second at Masters Toronto and Champions Paris last year.
“We all know that there are good times, like last year and also 2024, but we’re always so close to getting the trophy,” Chronicle said. “So it’s a matter of a moment when we will get it or not. It might be also the last one, or we will maybe never get the trophy at all, but who cares?”
Over the years, Chronicle has played a part in several trophies. A Masters Berlin title with Gambit Esports in 2021, the pair of titles in 2023, three regional titles from 2024 to 2025. The one piece of hardware he hasn’t lifted is the Champions trophy. When contemplating what a Champions trophy would do for his personal legacy, Chronicle was straight to the point.
“Honestly, I will only treat that as a bonus,” he said. “Right now [I’m] only focusing on the current games right now in the group stage, and that’s it. Seriously, I have no thoughts about a trophy. No point in thinking about it.”
Chronicle and Team Vitality will play their first match of Champions Shanghai vs. Global Esports on September 26 at 2 a.m. PST/5 a.m.EST, or 5 p.m. local time.
