After Dplus KIA’s official elimination from the 2024 Worlds Championship, head coach Zefa stepped forward to address and clarify the situation surrounding the team’s underwhelming performance.
Dplus KIA has become a hot topic of criticism within the Korean League of Legends fan community, as they were the only LCK team unable to secure a spot in the 2024 Worlds Quarterfinals.
The team started the tournament on a promising note, securing a 2-0 record. However, their momentum quickly crumbled as they lost three consecutive matches, including a critical 1-2 defeat to Weibo Gaming in the decisive game, which sealed their fate.
Fans were quick to express disappointment with the performance of Dplus KIA’s players, pointing out that the overall team coordination seemed lackluster. Even the renowned mid-laner, ShowMaker, who typically leads the charge, was criticized for not delivering the level of play expected from him.
Additionally, younger players like Lucid and Moham were said to have struggled with the pressure, as their morale appeared to deteriorate after the string of losses.
During the post-match interview, head coach Zefa took full responsibility for the team’s poor showing as the third seed from the LCK. He provided insight into the various reasons he believed contributed to their downfall, shedding light on both internal and external challenges that Dplus KIA faced throughout the tournament.
Zefa explained, “Both the players and I have been suffering from mild colds, which naturally affected our physical condition. Of course, I recognize that other teams likely faced similar issues, so this isn’t an excuse to justify our defeat.“
He went on to highlight the drastic changes that were introduced in the Worlds patch, compared to the meta they were familiar with from the Regional Qualifiers. “The version for Worlds was quite different from what we were used to, and while we practiced extensively to adapt, my own shortcomings as a coach led to the team falling behind in adjusting to the changes faster than our competitors.“
Zefa also touched on the psychological effects of their losing streak, which played a significant role in their downfall. “Our early losses, starting from when we were in a 2-0 bracket, took a toll on the morale of several players. As a result, by the time we faced the decisive match, many players were not in the right mental state to perform at their best.“
In taking responsibility, Zefa acknowledged the setbacks and vowed to reflect on the mistakes made, but also emphasized that the team had worked hard to navigate a challenging tournament environment. Despite the disappointing outcome, his comments offered some context to Dplus KIA’ struggles at Worlds 2024.