It’s over: Fnatic has parted ways with head coach Milan de Meij effective immediately. Assistant coach Casper ‘Desmo’ Rasmussen will take over on an interim basis and will also be on the sidelines for the upcoming EWC qualifiers.
Fnatic must find a new head coach. As the UK-based esports organization announced, the team is already searching for a suitable replacement to lead the roster alongside ‘Desmo’ in the future.
“While we continue to discuss Milan’s future at Fnatic, we would like to thank him for his incredible contributions in this role. At the same time, we are working to bring on a new head coach who will work alongside ‘Desmo’ in the future.”
Part of the team since 2024
De Meij originally joined Fnatic in 2024 and was promoted to head coach shortly thereafter. Under his leadership, the esports organization achieved numerous successes in 2025. These include, among others, the Stage 1 victory, second place at the Masters Toronto, and the runner-up finish at the World Championship in Paris.
The present, however, paints a different picture. Instead of building on past successes, the current season has so far been more of a rollercoaster ride. Among other things, Fnatic missed out on qualifying for the Masters Santiago and, shortly thereafter, had to cope with the loss of Sylvain ‘Veqaj’ Pattyn, who retired due to health issues.
Consequently, the team management apparently reconsidered its approach, which ultimately led to the parting of ways with ‘Milan’. “After thorough analysis, we felt we could get more out of our coaching structure as we try to achieve the remaining goals this season,” explained Fnatic Team Director Colin “CoJo” Johnson.
Milan himself also spoke up, offering nothing but positive words: “I continue to firmly believe in this roster and the people behind it. Thank you very much for all the support during my time here.”
