Veqaj Announces Return to Competitive Valorant After Period of Absence, Promising “Limitless Determination”

Fnatic Valorant player Sylvain ‘Veqaj’ Pattyn has announced on social media that he will return to competitive play, explaining his absence from play as due to “pain, fatigue, sleepless nights,” and “personal struggles.”

The announcement follows a period that kept the Frenchman out of action since April 17, when he last played in VCT EMEA Stage 1.

“I’m not done with Valorant” – Veqaj announces intent to return

Veqaj made the following statement on social media:

“Many of you have been wondering what happened after the Kickoff with FNATIC, so I wanted to make a thread and explain everything. This thread is about my comeback, but also a chance to thank those who supported me behind the scenes.

Back in November, realizing my dream of playing for FNATIC filled with a lot of joy. The off-season, the Kickoff, the adrenaline, the team… It was all there. But beneath the performances, my body and mind began to give way.

Shortly after, I had to face health issues I’d never experienced before – pain, fatigue, sleepless nights. At the same time, I was hit hard by personal struggles. I had to put everything on hold. Even my dream of playing VALORANT at the highest level.

It took time to accept, but I realized one thing: physical and mental health come first. I’ve been seeing doctors, working with specialists, and most importantly, learning to listen to myself. It wasn’t easy, there were doubts and moments of discouragement. But I fought through it.

Today, I’m doing better, and I’m back. But one thing is certain – I’m not done with VALORANT.

A huge thank you to @FNATIC, my teammates, my immediate family, and all of you. Your messages and support carried me through the tough times. I’m coming back stronger, more mature, and above all, with limitless determination.”

The news will be welcome to Fnatic fans who quickly fell in love with the French player despite his short stint on the roster and the unglamorous nature of his roles in the server.

Vegaj largely played selfless positions for Fnatic, acting as a glue within the roster after the departure of Timofey ‘Chronicle’ Khromov and the role switches that came about as a result.

After narrowly missing Masters Santiago through their exit in Kickoff, Fnatic were 3-0 in VCT EMEA Stage 1 when Veqaj was removed from the active roster.

While Fnatic would continue to post a flawless regular season, their season would collapse in the playoffs, never to recover in 2026. The result was the org’s absence from Masters London and now Valorant Champions Shanghai, which they fell out of contention for after their VCT EMEA Stage 2 Play-Ins exit at the hands of Joblife.

The exit at the hands of a Valorant Challengers roster summarized a painful split for Fnatic that saw losses to Team Liquid, Eternal Fire, and Team Heretics in the regular season, suffering a 0-13 loss in that contest.

Once Play-Ins began, things went from bad to worse as Fnatic fell to Enterprise, winning one series to knock GiantX out, but falling 0-2 to Joblife.

Veqaj return is welcome for struggling Fnatic, but roster questions remain

Assuming the Frenchman returns in black and orange, the question of who he would replace hangs in the air, with Veqaj’s replacement on the roster, Kirill ‘Cloud’ Nekhozhin, signed to Fnatic on a permanent three-year deal.

A return to Fnatic would then signify the departure of one of Fnatic’s 2025 roster, which won VCT EMEA Stage 1 and finished runner-up at Valorant Masters Toronto, EWC 2025, and Valorant Champions 2025.

Fans have speculated that the return would mean the departure of North American native Austin ‘crashies’ Roberts or a potential retirement for legendary IGL Jake ‘boaster’ Howlett, with Cloud taking the IGLing reins.

That remains to be seen for a Fnatic organization still reeling from a painful year, which saw the org miss every international of the year for the first time in the partnership era.