NAVI’s Rhilech vows to prove doubters wrong ahead of Worlds
The newly crowned LEC Rookie of the Year has one more series standing between his team and their first Worlds appearance since returning to European League of Legends
Enes “Rhilech” Uçan has spent 2026 doing what people told him his team couldn’t do. Now the 20-year-old jungler wants to do it one more time.
After claiming the 2026 LEC Rookie of the Year award on September 11, Rhilech and Natus Vincere sit one best-of-five away from qualifying for the League of Legends World Championship. Their opponent: Movistar KOI, on September 18, with the final 2026 Worlds spot on the line.
A year of exceeding expectations
NAVI has reached playoffs in every segment of the 2026 LEC split. The crown jewel so far came on September 11, when NAVI clawed past GIANTX in a tense 3-2 series during the LEC Summer Playoffs. Rhilech earned series MVP honors for his performance, a fitting cap to a day that also saw him named the league’s best rookie.
His Summer season numbers back the hype. Rhilech posted the LEC’s highest kill participation rate at 76.1%, meaning he was involved in more than three out of every four kills his team secured. That stat earned him third-team All-Pro recognition, putting him among the best at his position across the entire European league.
The road to Worlds
Rhilech hasn’t been shy about his ambitions. In a post-award statement following his Rookie of the Year coronation, the jungler declared that NAVI will qualify for Worlds. He also expressed a desire for multiple Worlds appearances and MVP awards in his career.
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The organization hasn’t appeared at Worlds since returning to the European League of Legends ecosystem, making this a genuine franchise milestone if they can pull it off.
Building something bigger
Rhilech’s arrival at NAVI in October 2025 came amid some organizational turbulence. He replaced a previous player under controversial circumstances, joining a team mid-controversy as a young and largely unproven talent.
The Rookie of the Year award validates what LEC viewers have watched unfold in real time. His consistency across multiple split segments, combined with his 76.1% kill participation rate and playoff performances, paints the picture of a player who could anchor NAVI’s roster for years.