League of Legends pro Pavle ‚Yoppa‘ Kostic has died
Former Schalke LoL Academy player Pavle ‚Yoppa‘ Kostic passed away on Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021, at just 23 years old.
„We are shocked and stunned,“ tweeted Schalke 04's eSports department on Wednesday, a day after the death. „FC Schalke mourns the loss of Pavle ‚Yoppa‘ Kostic. Our condolences go out to his family, loved ones and friends. S04 will always honor his memory.“
It was only in January 2021 that ‚Yoppa‘ was presented as a talent for the Schalke League of Legends Academy team. In the Spring Split, the team led by the top laner qualified for the EU Masters with a top-3 finish, where a satisfying top-16 result was recorded at the end of April 2021.
„One of the greatest in our region“
The Serbian drew attention to himself early on with his talent. The logical consequence were engagements in the top leagues in Europe, where he played for ASUS ROG Army, KIYF eSports Club, Giants Gaming and MAD Lions.
His game was followed closely even in the USA. One of the most successful LoL teams in the world, Team SoloMid (TSM), is said to have shown interest in signing him. However, this had not come about due to visa problems.
„Yoppa was one of the most promising League of Legends players from our region,“ the online medium of the Eastern European TV channel Sportklub wrote on Wednesday. „He was the first Serbian player who managed to climb to the first place in the Challenger ranking of EUW servers and was one of the first to play in major international teams,“ the message continued.
Great sympathy in the socials
The news about the death of Pavle ‚Yoppa‘ Kostic brought the community of the European lol community together. They all commemorated the person, the influence he left in the scene and shared moments they experienced with him.
Oskar ‚Selfmade‘ Boderik remembered his teammate on Twitter, „We spent so much time together […] I wish I could travel back in time.“ Team Vitality addressed the good times they had with ‚Yoppa‘ in Berlin: „You will stay in our memories forever.“
As recently as November 16, 2021, Pavle ‚Yoppa‘ Kostic reported via Twitter that his contract with Schalke 04 had now expired and that he was ready for new challenges next year. Nothing official is known about the cause of death other than speculation.
With Kostic, League of Legends eSports not only loses a great talent, but also a person who left his mark personally.
