Martin “Rekkles” Larsson opened up about feeling nervous before Los Ratones took on SK Gaming in a recent match. The admission was captured in pre-game content that showed the veteran ADC candidly expressing his anxiety moments before the game started.
The clip immediately drew attention because Rekkles has competed at the highest levels of League of Legends for years. He’s played at Worlds finals and stood on countless international stages. Yet the nerves remain.
What stood out just as much as the admission itself was the immediate response from his teammates. The Los Ratones environment kicked in right away with reassurance and support. The team’s jungler Velja also chimed in with a lighthearted “I don’t wanna die bro” that helped ease the tension.
Rekkles has been transparent about anxiety throughout his career. He’s previously discussed in interviews how experiencing nerves before matches is actually a positive sign for him. As long as he still feels that pre-game pressure it means he still cares enough to keep competing.
The stakes for this particular match may have added to the pressure. Los Ratones is fighting for playoff positioning and this could be one of Rekkles’ final opportunities to compete at the top level this year. That context makes every game count more than usual.
During the actual match viewers noticed Rekkles looking visibly upset after getting caught in a mid bush. The emotional investment was clear throughout the game.
Still got the fire
Pre-game nerves are common across all competitive sports regardless of experience level. Athletes in traditional sports regularly report anxiety before even regular season games. Some have admitted to physical symptoms like nausea before taking the field.
The difference in esports is that everything gets captured. Voice comms and behind-the-scenes content mean these private moments of vulnerability now become public. That makes Rekkles’ openness even more notable. He didn’t hide it or pretend the pressure wasn’t there.
