LEC Support Stend Retires After Seven Years, Citing Changed Relationship With League of Legends

French support Paul 'Stend' Lardin has announced his retirement from competitive League of Legends esports. The decision comes roughly a week after he posted online looking for team offers following his time competing with Shifters in the LEC Summer Split.

In a statement posted on September 28, 2026, Stend said: "I've been thinking a lot and I've officially decided to retire as a player. I've been playing full time for 7 years now, and my relationship with the game has changed. I know I could still be playing but I..." The announcement marked a sharp reversal from his recent search for new opportunities.

Stend's seven-year career included stints on Team Heretics, Vitality.Bee, and Giants. His time at Heretics exemplified the difficulties he faced. The organisation had positioned him and jungler Théo 'Sheo' Borile as cornerstones of a long-term project, with both players being the only two who remained from 2025 into 2026. After just four months, both were gone. Sheo stepped down during Spring following five consecutive series losses, while Stend was dropped before the LEC Playoffs despite the team's advancement, replaced by Korean support Han 'Way' Gil.

The instability continued. Stend was traded to Turkish organisation Misa Esports, where he achieved a strong third-place finish in EMEA Masters. However, Misa disbanded just over a month after signing him. He was also notably excluded from France's Esports Nations Cup roster in favour of LFL support Théo 'Zoelys' Le Scornec.

Stend briefly filled in for ZYB Esport in the LFL Playoffs before joining Shifters in the LEC. The team finished last in the Summer regular season with just one victory across nine series. Following the same difficult split, his Shifters teammate Ilias 'nuc' Bizriken also announced he is taking a break from competitive play.

Team Heretics responded with a tribute, posting: "Forever a part of our LEC history. Best of luck in your next chapter."