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The 2020-21 Season Magic Rivals League Roster

December 11, 2020
Wizards of the Coast

Joining the 32 Magic Rivals League players beginning the 2020 partial season, we're pleased to include 16 more players to begin the 2020-21 season with our complete roster of 48 competitors! Welcome, and congratulations again, to everyone participating in the 2020-21 season of the Magic Rivals League!

(Note: Updated December 11, 2020 to reflect the current 46 members of the Magic Rivals League.)

Matthieu Avignon



Matthieu Avignon

Matthieu Avignon is one of MTG Arena's breakthrough players. Earning his way to the 2019 Mythic Invitational through the eight slots available directly to MTG Arena players, his persistence and skill paid off as he unlocked invitation to the Rivals League with strong online play throughout the 2020 Partial Season. Now the French competitor aims to rank up again, and prove he's ready to join the MPL next year.

Federico Bastos



Federico Bastos

Federico Bastos is one of Portugal's longtime players, becoming the first of his countrymen to earn a Top Finish at Pro Tour Tokyo in 2001. After his follow up success with a second Top Finish at Pro Tour San Diego 2002, Bastos's career was quiet as others emerged as Portugal's competitive leaders. That changed thanks to MTG Arena as he qualified for Mythic Championship VII—and converted his strong MTG Arena performance into Rivals League invitation.

Chris Botelho



Chris Botelho

Chris Botelho's rise to success started with picking up Magic with Khans of Tarkir and Magic Online in 2014. Within a year of competitive play he rose to earn Top 8 at Grand Prix Vancouver, and cemented his passion for playing offbeat decks. Despite narrowly missing out on earning an invitation to larger events, his performance on MTG Arena was consistent enough to earn the pointed need for a Rivals League invitation to the 2020-21 season.

Kai Budde



Kai Budde

Kai Budde, the living legend, made his triumphant return to professional play in 2019. Budde became famous in the late '90s for never losing on a Top 8 Sunday as he put together the most dominant run the game has ever seen. Two decades later he proved he's still among the game's greatest with a Top 4 finish at Mythic Championship III. A new generation of fans will have their opportunity to meet Budde through his Rivals League play.

Corey Burkhart



Corey Burkhart

Corey Burkhart rode on the cusp of a bigger breakthrough for years, championing his Grixis Control deck in Modern with earning Grand Prix Top 8s across several formats. His moment in the sun came in early 2020 as he finally took home the trophy battling back from a 2-3 start to win Players Tour Phoenix—and cemented the points needed for Rivals League invitation.

Austin Bursavich



Austin Bursavich

Austin Bursavich joined the Rivals League after an incredible calendar year of events. Starting with his victory at Grand Prix Dallas-Fort Worth, he put together a historic run of success. With Top Finishes at Mythic Championship VI and Players Tour Phoenix 2020, he clinched the trophy at the 2020 Season Grand Finals to decisively close the season. As the final member to join the Rivals League for 2020-21, he can now carry that pace into the qualifying season to level up to the Magic Pro League.

Stanislav Cifka



Stanislav Cifka

Part of the famed "Czech House" that broke Standard throughout 2019, Stanislav Cifka is the champion of Pro Tour Return to Ravnica who had a bounceback season this year returning to Magic. A master deckbuilder who helped his teammates stay at the forefront of 2019, his strong performances culminating in a Top 8 at Mythic Championship V makes him one of the fiercest Rivals League competitors.

Louis-Samuel Deltour



Louis-Samuel Deltour

A four-time Grand Prix finalist, Louis-Samuel Deltour has been in the hunt for a breakout victory and trophy for years. His trip to the Top 8 of Mythic Championship VI brought him closer to the goal, and through the Magic Rivals League he'll continue to have a chance to take home the Sunday win.

Kenji Egashira



Kenji Egashira

One Magic's original streamers keeps finding ways to up his game. At this point in his career, Kenji Egashira has done nearly everything from building one of the best streams in the game to mastering Magic Online to compete in the MOCS to playing at the Mythic Invitational level to even joining the coverage team for events. After an incredible run at the final two MTG Arena Mythic Championships of 2019, Egashira joined the Magic Rivals League and gained the opportunity to add even more to his impressive career.

Lucas Esper



Lucas Esper

Lucas Esper is part of the tight Brazilian community of Magic players, and he used a strong 2018 to leap into the inaugural MPL year. While he didn't find the breakthrough or big finish he was looking for over the past year, he takes an impressive resume and deep skill with him into the Magic Rivals League in 2020.

Ivan Floch



Ivan Floch

Ivan Floch's career speaks for itself. With three consecutive seasons with a Top Finish—2016's Pro Tour Oath of the Gatewatch, 2015's Pro Tour Khans of Tarkir, and winning at 2014's Pro Tour Magic 2015—and plenty of Grand Prix success along the way, Floch is a player every pro respects. That consistency was turned to MTG Arena and led to his Rivals League invitation for the 2020-21 season—and another chance to stand at the top of the game.

Ryuzo Fujie



Ryuzo Fujie

Ryuzo Fujie has been a fan of Magic for years, getting his start opening a booster pack of Visions long before he began is competitive journey on MTG Arena. A breakout player online, his success in 2020 led to his Rivals League invitation where he'll need to prove he has what it takes at Magic's biggest events.

Simon Görtzen



Simon Görtzen

There was once a time when Simon Görtzen was on top of the Magic world. He had won Pro Tour San Diego 2010 and become a prolific content creator. He eventually chose to take a break from playing and move into event coverage, but his exciting run in his return to competition—including a thrilling streak to nearly make Top 4 at Mythic Championship III, followed by making the Top Finish cut alongside his brother at Players Tour Online 1—proved he's ready to take on the world in the Rivals League.

Beatriz Grancha



Beatriz Grancha

As a Parchís champion hailing from the home of paella—Valencia, Spain—Grancha has been a force to be reckoned with among competitors making their way up to Mythic rank on MTG Arena. As one of the top competitors every season—beginning with her earning a top Mythic rank for the 2019 Mythic Invitational—fellow Rivals League players will have to content with her to stay on top of the standings in 2020.

Kenta Harane



Kenta Harane

Kenta Harane was quietly among Japan's finest players entering the 2020 Partial Season, having first won Japan Nationals before going to win the World Magic Cup alongside MPL player Shota Yasooka in 2017. Through earning his first Top Finish by defeating another of Japan's best—MPL player Ken Yukuhiro—in the finals of Player Tour Nagoya, and unlocking his invitation to the Rivals League.

You can watch Harane stream exclusively on Mildom.

Christian Hauck



Christian Hauck

After his best season in 2018, capped off with a Top 8 at Pro Tour Ixalan, Christian Hauck fell to the middle of the MPL pack as he searched for his big moment of 2019. Despite his best efforts, missing out on another Top Finish left him shy of his 2020 MPL plans. Battling it out in the Magic Rivals League is where he can rebound to a stronger season and continue to demonstrate why he's among the game's best players.

Alexander Hayne



Alexander Hayne

Alexander Hayne is a professional Magic mainstay stretching back to his miraculous victory at Pro Tour Avacyn Restored. Hunting for another Top Finish throughout 2019, Hayne fell shy of the mark for the MPL to start 2020. Instead, his gregarious joy for Magic will carry over to the Magic Rivals League and more opportunities to put his deep skill to work.

Yoshihiko Ikawa



Yoshihiko Ikawa

With two Top Finishes coming nearly ten years apart—at Pro Tour San Diego 2010 and as finalist at Mythic Championship I in 2019—Yoshihiko Ikawa's career spans the globe with five Grand Prix Top 8s and a narrow miss at becoming the Japanese National Champion. Now, as a part of the Rivals League, he can continue his success and take his career to the next level.

Shintaro Ishimura



Shintaro Ishimura

Shintaro Ishimura's first Grand Prix Top 8 was in Shizuoka in 2008 after several years of building momentum competing. His persistence and practice began to pay off in 2015 as he remained qualified for Magic's premier events before finally breaking through with a Top Finish at Players Tour Nagoya—and the points needed for invitation to the Rivals League.

Eli Kassis



Eli Kassis

Eli Kassis started racking up Grand Prix Top 8s in 2016 and hasn't looked back since. Building on each success beforehand, his 2019 season closed with a second Grand Prix trophy and first lifetime Top Finish at Mythic Championship VI. By joining the Magic Rivals League, Kassis continues to compete at the highest levels and rise further in professional Magic.

Zachary Kiihne



Zachary Kiihne

Zachary Kiihne rose through the ranks at the SCG Open circuit, notching Top 8 finishes and earning a reputation as one of the strongest players at these events. Making his big breakthrough at Players Tour Phoenix in 2020, Kiihne is ready to continue rising as he sets his eye on the MPL next.

Grzegorz Kowalski



Grzegorz Kowalski

Grzegorz Kowalski may have played second fiddle to the eventual winner of the 2018 Magic World Championship, but his history of Grand Prix success and incredible consistency at Mythic Championship events put him on track for a strong 2019 season in the MPL. While it didn't come together the way he planned, continuing his career in the Magic Rivals League ensures Kowalski tackles the challenge to become the best in the game into 2020—and reignited his successes with a Top Finish at the 2020 Mythic Invitational.

Riku Kumagai



Riku Kumagai

Riku Kumagai picked up Magic playing Ravnica: City of Guilds Theme Decks and expanded from there. After winning a PTQ on Magic Online and earning his first opportunity to compete at Magic's toughest events, he persisted to success with two Top 32 finishes—Pro Tours Amonkhet and Hour of Devastation—and finally a breakthrough finalist run at the 2020 Players Tour Finals.

Joel Larsson



Joel Larsson

Joel Larsson was a dominant force throughout the 2010s. From a humble beginning with his first major event at Pro Tour San Diego in 2010, Larsson began to earn Top 8s at Grand Prix events before his breakout finalist finish at Pro Tour Gatecrash. He followed that with a win at Pro Tour Magic Origins, then again with his second premier win at 2020's Players Tour Brussels. Now Larsson's superstar career sets the stage for high expectations as a member of the Rivals League.

Matias Leveratto



Matias Leveratto

Leveratto was a competitive Magic veteran, but he had been several years removed from the professional scene before he qualified for Mythic Championship III via MTG Arena. Once he made it to the big stage it was like he never left. Putting together the perfect underdog tale, he won the finals with the very last card he could draw to earn himself a spot at Magic World Championship XXVI and entrance to the Magic Rivals League.

Eli Loveman



Eli Loveman

When he isn't working with a non-profit, Eli Loveman seeks one thing: Excellent Magic competition. Taking home the trophy from Mythic Championship II, Loveman's continued adventure took him into the Rivals League and Magic World Championship XXVI to face down the greatest players in the game.

Ma Noah



Ma Noah

Ma Noah is the rising star of South Korea, rocketing up the Mythic Points leaderboard with solid performances at all four tabletop Magic Mythic Championships in 2019. Now joining the Magic Rivals League, he can continue his march toward a Top Finish and a breakthrough event against the game's best.

Luca Magni



Luca Magni

Luca Magni spent 2019 and 2020 terrorizing the MTG Arena monthly ladder and Mythic Point Challenges, emerging as one of the strongest competitors online. Earning the points for invitation to the Magic Rivals League, he quickly distinguished himself with a Top Finish at the Zendikar Rising Championship as he looks to build momentum for a run at the MPL.

Théo Moutier



Théo Moutier

Théo Moutier is riding a wave of success from the second half of the 2019 season. Qualifying for Mythic Championship V through MTG Arena, he notched a Top 16 finish there to earn invitation back for Mythic Championship VII—and his success there was the springboard of Mythic Points into the Magic Rivals League and more opportunities to prove himself.

Matthew Nass



Matthew Nass

The combo master himself, Matthew Nass spent the last year battling against the game's best as part of the inaugural class of the Magic Pro League. While his Grand Prix success and Pro Tour Kaladesh Top 8 put him in an elite class of players, his narrow misses in 2019 left him short of his goal to return to the MPL in 2020. Within the Magic Rivals League however, Nass will put his skill to work on his way back to the top.

Greg Orange



Greg Orange

Greg Orange has long been one of the best control players in the world, and it served him well as he won the team Mythic Championship that celebrated Magic's 25th anniversary. He continued to post solid results throughout his career thus far, finding success in both tabletop Magic and MTG Arena events. That consistent success across events unlocked the Magic Rivals League and his shot at the MPL.

Sebastián Pozzo



Sebastián Pozzo

Sebastián Pozzo had a season to remember in 2019. He qualified for Mythic Championship V via MTG Arena, and after competing there followed it up just weeks later with a Top 8 at Mythic Championship VI. It's just the latest chapter of success for the professional player, and he'll look to continue his ascension to the top in the Magic Rivals League.

John Rolf



John Rolf

John Rolf played on and off the professional Magic scene, preparing to instead focus on practicing as a lawyer before he made the Top 8 of Pro Tour Rivals of Ixalan. Combined with a strong season it earned him invitation to the Magic Pro League last year, where he ended shy of the Mythic Points for a return. Now he'll turn his focus on continuing his high level of play in the Magic Rivals League as one of the game's greats.

Luis Salvatto



Luis Salvatto

While 2018 Player of the Year is among the most formidable competitors in Magic, Luis Salvatto's journey in the inaugural MPL season didn't replicate his success leading in. Without a premier play Top Finish in 2019, for him 2020 starts in the Magic Rivals League where he continues to battle as one of the most talented and hardworking players in the world.

Bernardo Santos



Bernardo Santos

With two battles in the MOCS and three Grand Prix Top 8, Bernardo Santos pushed his skill to the limit and narrowly missed earning a Top Finish in 2019. As part of the inaugural class of the Magic Rivals League, Santos will continue his quest to break through to the pros.

Luis Scott-Vargas



Luis Scott-Vargas

It seems like everyone knows Luis Scott-Vargas, better known as simply "LSV." After his tenth Top Finish at Mythic Championship I, the Magic Hall of Fame member was in the running for Magic World Championship XXVI right up through Mythic Championship VII—then went on to add his eleventh Top Finish at the 2020 Mythic Invitational. With a resume that puts him in the conversation for the best to ever play the game, he is among most-feared players in the Magic Rivals League.

Thoralf Severin



Thoralf Severin

As one of the hosts of the popular Arena Boys series, Thoralf Severin demonstrated that he wasn't so bad at tabletop play, either, as he won Mythic Championship IV in Barcelona with his beloved Modern Tron deck. Working hard to continue leveling up Magic on all sides, "Toffel" competed in Magic World Championship XXVI and looks ahead to his future in the Magic Rivals League.

Mike Sigrist



Mike Sigrist

Mike Sigrist is one of the game's greatest technical players, picking up the "best" deck in a format and playing it flawlessly. In the hunt to add a fourth Top Finish to his resume all season, Sigrist found friction and fell short of his Mythic Points goal. He'll continue to be a force in the game on his path back to the top in the 2020-21 season.

Miguel Simões



Miguel Simões

Miguel Simões is one of just two players who qualified for both Mythic Championship V and Mythic Championship VII via MTG Arena tournaments. He then put together the run of a lifetime at Mythic Championship VII, making his way all the way to the Top 8 for the best finish of his young career. Now he will hope it's the first of many as he continues his quest in the Magic Rivals League.

Matt Sperling



Matt Sperling

Matt Sperling put together a string of Top Finishes over the years, most recently a finalist finish las year at Mythic Championship II. With strong tabletop Magic finishes through the remainder of the season, Sperling earned his seat in the Magic Rivals League and even more opportunities to battle among the best in professional Magic.

Ben Stark



Ben Stark

Long known as one of the best Limited players in the world, Ben Stark's career is built on Constructed success as well. The Magic Hall of Fame member picked up an MPL division win during Core Split but fell short of strong finishes throughout the 2019 season. As a member of the Magic Rivals League, Stark is poised to show why he's a master of competitive Magic as he looks to earn back qualification to the MPL.

Yuta Takahashi



Yuta Takahashi

Yuta Takahashi made his name in the Magic world as one of the greatest Faeries players in 2008—rivaled only by the legendary Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa—with two Grand Prix wins next two his finalist finish with Kentaro Yamamoto at Pro Tour San Diego 2007. A fearsome competitor with well over a dozen Grand Prix Top 8s through the years, he earned a third Top Finish at Players Tour Nagoya and unlocked invitation to the Magic Rivals League ready to remain one of Japan's finest players.

Jakub Tóth



Jakub Tóth

Jakub Tóth was still a minor when he was among the youngest premier event competitors ever at Pro Tour Honolulu in 2009. His early success was no fluke as we finished finalist to Ivan Floch at Slovak Nationals in 2011. MTG Arena opened even more opportunities for Tóth to prove his skill as he became a dominant fixture online, unlocking invitation to the Rivals League for the 2020-21 season.

Brent Vos



Brent Vos

Brent Vos hails from the same hometown as renown Hall of Famer Frank Karsten, which led to his first major success in 2016 with a team Grand Prix Top 8 finish at Rotterdam. Taking cues from the skilled legend to approach the game with an analytic mindset and sportsmanship at the forefront, he helped pioneer the breakout Pioneer deck of Players Tour Brussels, which resulted in a Top Finish, eventual format ban, and invitation to the 2020-21 Rivals League.

Ally Warfield



Ally Warfield

Those who play against Ally Warfield are soon known as "Casualties of Warfield" as her tabletop Magic and MTG Arena adventures took her deep into Day Twos and the Sunday stage. With experience from multiple games and Grand Prix Top 8 to boot, Warfield continues to leave defeated opponents in her wake as she continues her march to the top in the Magic Rivals League after earning her first Top Finish at Players Tour Online 2 in 2020.

Jacob Wilson



Jacob Wilson

Within a year of learning to play Magic, Jacob Wilson was off to the races competing at PTQ and Grand Prix events. After a victory at Grand Prix Chicago in 2012, Wilson built on his moment with success in Modern taking back-to-back Top Finishes at Modern format Pro Tours Born of the Gods and Fate Reforged. With individual success across formats and four team Grand Prix Top 8s—including two wins—a third Top Finish at Players Tour Phoenix sets his career on a path to rise to the MPL in 2021.

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