Legendary Serbian LoL player Yoppa passes away due to COVID complications

The League of Legends scene was met with tragic news after it was announced that Serbian top laner Pavle „Yoppa“ Kostić passed away due to complications from COVID-19. Yoppa, best known for his numerous stints in the Spanish LVP SuperLiga was only twenty-three years old at the time of his passing. The tragic news has caused an outpour of grief from the League of Legends community on Twitter and other social media sites, as players, coaches, and fans pay their tributes to the deceased star.

Yoppa’s legacy is a massive one, as the Serbian top laner was considered to be one of the most talented players to break out of the Balkan region. After bursting into the competitive League of Legends scene in 2016, Yoppa quickly made a name for himself as one of the best top laners in the Spanish LVP SuperLiga. Over the course of his career, he was best known for his stints with Giants Gaming, MAD Lions, Vitality.Bee, and Schalke Evolution. A pub star in his own right, he also became the first Serbian player to climb to first place on the Challenger ranking list in EU West.

Pavle “Yoppa” Kostić / Vitality

A true trailblazer for the Balkan scene, Yoppa was one of the first players from the region to successfully compete for major international teams. As a testament to his talent, he was at one point linked with TSM, but the deal ultimately fell through due to visa issues, a problem that hindered his progress in League’s upper echelons throughout his career.

Many League of Legends players, coaches, and personalities alike have said their goodbyes to the deceased top laner

“Tragic news to all of us at Mad, and all those who knew and played with Yoppa. My heart goes out to his family and friends, I cannot even begin to imagine their grief at losing him at such a young age. Rest in Peace. Stay safe and take care of each other.”, stated MAD Lions Head Coach James “Mac” MacCormack

“Gifted player, great team mate, pleasure to coach and all around good guy. If not for visa complications throughout his career, would have played LEC and been one of the best. My thoughts go out to his family and friends on this sad day. Rest in peace.”, stated Evil Geniuses Head Coach Peter Dun

“I honestly dont know what to say. We spent so much time having fun together back in the LVP days i wish i could go back in time. Rest in peace Pavle.”, stated Team Vitality jungler Oskar “Selfmade” Boderek

Yoppa’s untimely death is a devastating blow to the regional Balkan scene. Players like Yoppa are few and far in between, and in a way, it feels like the regional scene as a whole has taken two steps back due to his passing. Although he spent the majority of his career playing abroad, Yoppa was an ambassador for the still-developing scene and a beacon of hope for up-and-coming players. With his death coming in the prime of his career, Yoppa will go down in history as one of the biggest “what ifs” in the European League of Legends scene.

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