Clem
From Liquipedia StarCraft 2 Wiki
Player Information
Name:
Clément Desplanches
Nationality:
Born:
April 8, 2002 (age 23)
Race:
Team:
Alternate IDs:
Xavier
Nickname(s):
The Little Corporal, The Wonder Kid, The Comeback Kid
Approx. Total Winnings:
$924,068
Approx. Winnings 2026:
$1,850
Years Active:
2013 - Present
Years Active (caster):
2021 - 2024,
2026 - Present
2026 - Present
Links
Achievements
History
| 2013-10-26 — 2015-08-08 | Punchline ESC |
| 2015-08-12 — 2016-06-19 | orKs eSports |
| 2016-06-19 — 2018-01-12 | Dead Pixels |
| 2018-03-06 — 2019-02-06 | Exeed Esports |
| 2019-02-13 — 2020-01-04 | Infinity Gaming |
| 2020-02-21 — Present | Team Liquid |
Recent Matches
| Clem | 0:2 (Bo3) | |
| Clem | 2:0 (Bo3) | |
January 12, 2026 - 20:15 CET | ||
| Clem | 1:2 (Bo3) | |
January 12, 2026 - 17:00 CET | ||
| Clem | 2:0 (Bo3) | |
| Clem | 2:3 (Bo5) | |
| Clem | 3:1 (Bo5) | |
| Clem | 2:0 (Bo3) | |
January 10, 2026 - 17:40 CET | ||
| Clem | 2:0 (Bo3) | |
January 10, 2026 - 16:20 CET | ||
| Clem | 2:0 (Bo3) | |
January 10, 2026 - 15:10 CET | ||
| Clem | 3:2 (Bo5) | |
Clément "Clem" Desplanches (born April 8, 2002) is a French Terran player who is currently playing for Team Liquid.
He has played with several races over the years, but has been playing Terran lately. At the end of 2024, he started playing Protoss against Terran players. One of his first notable victories as Protoss was against GuMiho in a qualifier for HomeStory Cup XXVI in September 2024.
Biography
[edit]Clem started playing StarCraft II at the age of 10.
Heart of the Swarm
[edit]He participated in French LANs PxL-Lan #38, PxL-Lan #40 and PxL-Lan #41.
He also tried multiple times to qualify for the online tournament Underdogs. He never managed to win in the qualifiers, but in Season 20, he took a spot available after FireCake's ban by O'Gaming. In the first round, he lost 1-2 to Denver, and was defeated by MiNiMaTh in the consolation match.
Legacy of the Void
[edit]In February 2016, at the age of 13, Clem qualified for Underdogs Season 22, notably defeating MiNiMaTh and ShaDoWn. However, in the main tournament, he was eliminated in the first round, once again after losing 1-2 to Denver.
A few weeks later, he qualified to the following season of Underdogs. There, he defeated FunK 3-1, lost 2-3 to DnS, and finally won 3-1 against Uzikoti to take third place in the tournament. As a result, he qualified to Topdogs Season 2, where he is set to play against Lilbow.
In April 2016, he entered the European qualifiers for DreamHack Open: Tours, which doubled as the 2016 WCS Spring Circuit Championship. He managed to finish in a qualifying spot in the losers bracket, notably defeating former WCS Premier players Tefel, Miniraser and Happy. However, he was only 14, and WCS rules did not allow players under 16 to participate, and as a result, Clem lost his spot.
On June 19th, he left orKs eSports to join Dead Pixels.[1]
2020
[edit]February 21st 2020, he was recruited by Team Liquid.[2] Once he joined Team Liquid, he managed to reach several finals in minor tournaments, defeating the top players and acquiring a strong reputation. His TvZ is considered as one of the best in the world.
In the second edition of the StayAtHomestory Cup, Clem managed to defeat several notable players. He acquired the first place in both group stages, defeating SKillous 2-1, soO 2-1, Cure 3-2 and finally Stats 3-1. In the final bracket, he was able to beat Zest 3-1. He then lost to Solar 1-3 making a rematch against Stats in the loser's bracket. After an exciting match, he managed to beat Stats once again, 3-2 and finally lost against INnoVation 1-3. With this Clem acquired the fourth place in the StayAtHomestory Cup #2.
During summer, Clem confirmed his last performance in the DH SC2 Masters 2020 Summer: Europe, achieving the third place, behind Serral and the champion of the edition, Reynor. He came out of the group stage with a convincing score of 7-0 with only one map lost against ShoWTimE. Clem went to the Winner's Semifinals beating MaNa, uThermal and losing to Serral 2-3. His run ended when he faced Reynor in the Loser's Finals with 1-3. Finishing third, he gained a spot for the Season Finals where he didn't make it out of the group stage.
In the DH SC2 Masters 2020 Fall: Europe, Clem improved his last results achieving this time the second place of the tournament. Finishing first in group stage with a map score of 12-2, only losing against Gerald, he went to the winner's final by defeating ShoWTimE, PtitDrogo and Reynor 3-2. Reynor came back from the lower bracket to defeat Clem in a clutch serie where Clem had two match point 3-4. This was his best result in a Premier tournament since he started to play.
With his top 4 finish in the DH SC2 Masters 2020 Fall: Europe, he went to the DH SC2 Masters 2020 Fall: Season Finals where he ended up at the top 4, dealing with SpeCial and Probe in the group stage, Serral in the Ro8 to lose against the future champion Reynor with 3-1 (Reynor taking the title against Trap with 4-3).
In 2020, Clem managed to climb the podium sted by step. He went from the third place, to the second place and finally take the first place of a Premier Tournament. Clem joined the list of Premier Tournament champions during the DH SC2 Masters 2020 Winter: Europe. After being first in a slightly more tight group stage, confronting among others ShoWTimE, Elazer and GunGFuBanDa with a final map score of 14-4, Clem went to the winner's bracket in the first spot among Lambo, Serral and Reynor. His first playoff match was against his friend, Denver. They had a tight series with a final score of 3-2 in favor of Clem. His next opponent was Serral in another close series, which ended with Serral taking the 3-2 victory. With that Clem went to the loser's bracket round 4, and started his rise against ShoWTimE 3-0 and then HeRoMaRinE 3-1 before meeting Serral in a rematch, which this time did go in Clem's favor with 3-1. The final was a new classic in Clem versus Reynor, with Reynor coming from the winner's bracket and an advantage of 1 map. Reynor took the first map and in response, Clem took the four others. With a final result of 4-2, Clem became champion in a Premier tournament for the first time in his career.
Continuing on his way, he cleared off Maru and Armani onto his DH SC2 Masters 2020 Winter: Season Finals group stage, both winning 2-0 and advancing into the final bracket. Facing Reynor in the Ro8 this time, Clem won 3-1, but didn't succeed to qualify for finals as losing against Stats in a 2-3 score. With this result, he secured his spot in the Ro24 of the ESL Pro Tour 2020/21 final event.
2021
[edit]Next stop was at DH SC2 Masters 2020 Last Chance. TY, Ragnarok and Zest were some huge opponents and many said Clem won't make it to the Ro8 bracket. Clem raised his play style and after dealing with Zest and Ragnarok by winning 2-1 in both close series, he managed to make it out of his first all-Korean group of his career. Matched against Bunny in the first round of playoffs, he dropped the first map then took the three next to win the series and secured another Top 4 result in a Premier tournament. He finally lost against the future winner of DH SC2 Masters 2020 Last Chance, Trap, in a 1-3 semifinal score.
With all the French "Baguette" people behind him, and right before IEM Katowice 2021, Funka, Koka and all the O'Gaming casters decided to support him with a parody music video called "Desplancito" in honor of Clem's real name[3]. He made an astonishing start at the event defeating ShoWTimE, ByuN and TY 2-0, before losing to Maru and Solar in the group stage. Thus qualifying for the playoffs Ro12, where he faced and beat Serral 3-2. The eventual runner-up Zest defeated him 3-1 in quarterfinals, ended what is up to now his best run in a world championship.
During the off-season from march to may, Clem won most of the (minor) tournaments he won in particular the Champions Brawl as well as 6 ESL Open Cups Europe in a row tying HeRoMaRinE winning streak record.
His 2021/2022 season started at DH SC2 Masters 2021 Summer: Europe. For the first time Clem entered a premier tournament as reigning champion. Beside a surprising loss to GunGFuBanDa he claimed the first place of his group. Then he overcame DnS and HeRoMaRinE to reach the upper bracket final by where he faced Reynor once again. He defeated him in a tight series 3-2 before upholding the re-match 4-1 in the grand final .
...
2022
[edit]Throughout 2022, Clem continued to assert his dominance in the European scene while facing increasing challenges on the global stage. Known for his exceptional Terran play and fast-paced TvZ, he remained a regular fixture in top-tier tournaments and maintained his fierce rivalries with players like Reynor and Serral.
In the DH SC2 Masters 2022 Valencia: Europe, Clem won his first major title of the year, once again facing Reynor in the grand finals. The series went all seven games in a back-and-forth brawl between the two young prodigies. Clem eventually triumphed 4–3, claiming the title and $16,000 in prize money.
Later that summer, Clem participated in the DH SC2 Masters 2022 Valencia, where he reached the top 8. He was eliminated in a close 2–3 series against herO, finishing 5th–8th overall and securing a $3,600 prize.
At the HomeStory Cup XXI, Clem advanced to the finals, but fell short against his long-time rival Serral with a 0–2 loss. Despite the defeat, his second-place finish netted him $5,500 and reinforced his consistency at the highest level.
In August, Clem competed in the TeamLiquid StarLeague 9, but was eliminated early in the bracket stage by SpeCial (1–2), placing 17th–24th.
In the World Team League 2022 Summer, Clem and his team managed to reach the group stage, finishing 8th in Group S. Clem contributed three wins but faced strong opposition, ending the event with a 3–8 individual map score and earning $815.69.
Clem then went on to claim his second major European title of the year at the DH SC2 Masters 2022 Atlanta: Europe, once again defeating Reynor in the finals with a dramatic 4–3 victory where he reverse swept the zerg player. The win solidified Clem's position as the premier Terran in Europe and earned him another $16,000.
However, on the global stage at the DH SC2 Masters 2022 Atlanta, Clem struggled to replicate his regional success. He was knocked out in the Ro16 with a 0–3 loss to Bunny, finishing 9th–16th.
His final major event of the year was the HomeStory Cup XXII, where he reached the quarterfinals. Clem was eliminated by Astrea (1–3) and finished 5th–6th, earning $1,250.
In 2022, Clem’s playstyle continued to mature. Long known for his micro-intensive, aggressive play—particularly his Marine-Tank based TvZ—he began incorporating more strategic diversity and late-game decision-making, allowing him to adapt better in drawn-out series. His multitasking and map control remained world-class, often overwhelming even elite Zergs with his relentless pressure.
Facing stiff international competition, Clem showed improved resilience and strategic flexibility, notably in his DreamHack finals against Reynor, where he frequently altered builds and tempos to keep his opponent off balance.
With over $50,000 earned across major events in 2022, Clem not only confirmed his status as the best Terran in Europe but also solidified his place among the global elite. His consistent rivalry with Reynor resulted in two dramatic DreamHack European final victories, showcasing not only mechanical prowess but a psychological edge in crucial matches.
Though still chasing deeper results in global brackets, Clem’s 2022 campaign marked a confirmation of his tier-one status, closing the gap with Korea’s finest and maintaining one of the most feared Terran arsenals outside of South Korea.
2023
[edit]In 2023, Clem continued to build on his previous successes, consolidating his role as Europe’s most dominant Terran and finally achieving a long-awaited international breakthrough. Throughout the year, Clem participated in numerous S-Tier events, often clashing with familiar rivals such as Serral, Reynor, and Korean elites like Maru, ByuN, and Dark.
He began the year at the prestigious IEM Katowice 2023, one of the biggest events of the ESL Pro Tour. Despite strong expectations, Clem was eliminated in the group stage with a 2–3 score, placing 21st–24th and earning $3,600. This early setback did little to discourage him, as he would go on to perform more consistently in the months ahead.
During the WTL 2022 Winter Season, which concluded in February 2023, Clem contributed to his team’s efforts with a 5–6 map score, helping them secure an 8th-place finish in the league and earning $801.04.
In the DH SC2 Masters 2023 Summer: Europe, Clem reached the semifinals. He fought hard against his perennial rival Serral, but narrowly lost 2–3. He finished 3rd–4th, earning $5,000. Later in the global finals of the DH SC2 Masters 2023 Summer, Clem was eliminated by ByuN with a 1–3 score, ending the event in the 9th–12th bracket with $2,000.
At Gamers8 2023, one of the highest-paying tournaments of the year, Clem reached the semifinals before falling 0–3 to Reynor. He finished in the top 4, securing a massive $30,000 prize. This was his biggest single-event earning of the year and a key step in his international reputation.
Clem also took part in the WTL 2023 Summer Season, helping his team to a 5th-place finish. His personal contribution was a close 4–5 record, earning him $1,016.36.
In September, Clem participated in the Master’s Coliseum 6, where he faced off against Maru in the playoffs. He was eliminated in a one-sided 0–3 match, placing 5th–6th and earning $1,380.61.
Clem’s persistence paid off in the fall season. In the DH SC2 Masters 2023 Winter: Europe, he reached the grand final but lost 1–4 to Serral, settling for second place and $8,000. However, in the global finals at the DH SC2 Masters 2023 Winter, Clem completed his redemption arc. Facing Dark in the grand final, he delivered a stunning 4–1 victory, earning his first global S-Tier title and $15,000. This marked a historical moment for Clem, as he became one of the few non-Koreans to win a major international championship.
Career Milestone
[edit]Clem’s evolved toward a more rounded and macro-oriented approach, balancing his renowned micro-intensive aggression with greater strategic patience. While still excelling at multitasking and Marine-Tank timings, he increasingly demonstrated prowess in late-game scenarios, particularly in Terran vs. Zerg, his historically strongest matchup. His engagements were cleaner, his transitions sharper, and his composure in long series became a defining strength.
Clem also showed greater flexibility against Protoss and Terran opponents, refining his builds and scouting discipline. His series against players like Dark and ByuN in particular showed a newfound comfort in dealing with unpredictable and explosive Korean playstyles.
By the end of 2023, he had amassed over $68,000 in prize earnings for the year, setting a new personal best. More importantly, his victory over Dark in the DH Winter Finals cemented his place in global StarCraft II history as one of the few European Terrans to defeat top Koreans in a major final. His repeated battles with Serral and Reynor continued to define the European scene, but in 2023, Clem finally proved he could also conquer the international stage.
2024
[edit]The year 2024 marked a defining moment in Clem’s career, as he reached the pinnacle of competitive StarCraft II. While he delivered consistent results throughout the year, including strong finishes at premier tournaments, his crowning achievement was winning the Esports World Cup 2024—the most prestigious event of the year, widely recognized as the de facto world championship.
Starting the year, Clem participated in Master’s Coliseum 7, finishing 9th–11th after a 2–3 group stage performance, earning $704.56. In February, he placed 5th–8th at IEM Katowice 2024, exiting after a 0–3 defeat against the Finnish Zerg champion Serral, and earning $21,500.
In May, Clem claimed first place at the ESL SC2 Masters 2024 Spring: Europe, narrowly defeating MaxPax 4–3 in the final and securing $15,000. However, at the global Spring Finals he finished 9th–12th after a 0–3 loss to South Korea’s Protoss player herO.
The most significant highlight came on August 18th at the Esports World Cup 2024. Clem delivered a dominating performance throughout the tournament, defeating a series of top-tier players on his path to the title. In the upper bracket, he defeated Classic decisively 3–0, followed by a tight 3–2 victory over Reynor and a commanding 3–0 win against Serral to secure qualification to the playoffs.
In the playoff bracket, Clem continued his streak by shutting down herO with a flawless 4–0 victory in the semifinals, and capped off the tournament with a dominating 5–0 win over Serral in the grand final. This string of wins demonstrated Clem’s adaptability and dominance across multiple playstyles and matchups. With a $400,000 prize, this victory solidified Clem’s status as the best player in the world in 2024.
Following this, Clem helped his team secure 3rd place at the World Team League 2024 Summer, contributing to close matches and earning $1,809.28.
Throughout 2024, Clem demonstrated refined strategic depth and mechanical precision. His playstyle balanced aggressive multitasking and precise micro with improved macro management, showing an advanced understanding of timing and map control.
His TvZ matchup evolved into a clear strength, highlighted by his ability to tactically dismantle top Zerg opponents such as Dark, Reynor, and especially Serral. Against Protoss, Clem incorporated more adaptive strategies, blending early pressure and defensive play with well-timed drops and harass.
The year showcased Clem at the height of his competitive powers, combining mechanical skill, strategic maturity, and mental resilience to reach new career milestones.
Clem’s victory at the Esports World Cup 2024 is the defining moment of his career. This title is the highest honor in StarCraft II for the year and widely regarded as the world championship. It represents Clem’s arrival at the very top of the scene—ending years of close contention and establishing him firmly as the world’s best player in 2024.
This achievement stands as the clear, undeniable highlight of his competitive record and is a milestone that shapes his legacy in StarCraft II history.
2025
[edit]...
Trivia
[edit]As of september 2024 :
- He is the only Terran foreigner player to have won more than two individual premier tournaments; with 8 titles, including a World Championship.
- He is the fifth highest earnings in history, the 2nd Terran and 2nd foreigner.
- He is the EPT Europe Challengers most successful player, out 11 events :
- he holds the record of 6 titles, 9 finals played and 10 top 3;
- he is the only european player to have reached EPT Regional Challenger top 4 on every occasion.
- Alongside MeomaikA, TIME and Neeb, he is one of the players to have won both of the EPT Regional Challengers of the ESL Pro Tour 2022/23.
- He is the ESL Open Cups most successful player, establishing multiple records :
- 100 first places across different regions,
- 75 ESL Open Cup Europe first places and 115 finals played,
- 6 ESL Open Cup Europe consecutive wins (tied with HeRoMaRinE),
- alongside Cure and MaxPax, he is one of the players to have won at least one cup in each of the three regions.
- He won TL.net's weekly MVP Award for his performance in the second week of the World Team League 2021 Summer Season.[4]
- He is the most awarded player of the World Team League 2023 Winter Season with 4 distinctions for his performance in the playoffs.
Achievements
[edit]Medias
[edit]Interviews and Spotlights
[edit]Gallery
[edit]Statistics
[edit]Matchup Statistics
| vs | vs | vs | vs | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Record | Win% | Record | Win% | Record | Win% | Record | Win% | Record | Win% | |
| as | 3338 - 1389 | 70.6 % | 1361 - 734 | 65 % | 1912 - 979 | 66.1 % | 35 - 4 | 89.7 % | 6646 - 3106 | 68.2 % |
| as | 14 - 9 | 60.9 % | 248 - 66 | 79 % | 10 - 9 | 52.6 % | 0 - 0 | - | 272 - 84 | 76.4 % |
| as | 2 - 0 | 100 % | 5 - 1 | 83.3 % | 0 - 0 | - | 14 - 4 | 77.8 % | 21 - 5 | 80.8 % |
| as | 0 - 0 | - | 9 - 11 | 45 % | 0 - 0 | - | 0 - 0 | - | 9 - 11 | 45 % |
| Σ | 3354 - 1398 | 70.6 % | 1623 - 812 | 66.7 % | 1922 - 988 | 66 % | 49 - 8 | 86 % | 6948 - 3206 | 68.4 % |
Earnings Statistics
1v1 Medal Statistics
| Tier | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S-Tier | 8 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 20 |
| A-Tier | 12 | 7 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 33 |
| B-Tier | 261 | 127 | 20 | 80 | 11 | 499 |
| C-Tier | 21 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 |
| Total | 302 | 149 | 23 | 97 | 13 | 584 |
References
[edit]- ↑ "Welcome dPixClem to the team". Dead Pixels. 2016-06-19.
- ↑ "Welcome Clem and Harstem to team Liquid". Team Liquid. 2020-02-21.
- ↑ "O'Gaming SC2 - Desplancito ft. Clément Desplanches". OG Starcraft II Replays FR. 2021-02-18.
- ↑ TheOneAboveU (2021-04-09). "Weekly MVP Award: Liquid'Clem". TL.net. Retrieved 2020-04-11.
