Faker strikes again. Led by its hero, Lee Sang-hyeok in civilian life, the South Korean team T1 won the Video Game World Championships on Saturday in London League of Legends for the fifth time, new record.
At the end of a final of almost four hours of play, the T1 players won (3-2) against the Chinese from Bilibili Gaming, winning a second consecutive title in the competition. They also won in 2013, 2015 and 2016, with Faker as the common denominator.
A white-hot crowd
The immense O2 Arena in the British capital hosted for the first time the final of the “Worlds”, the most anticipated event of the year by fans of video game competitions.
Warmed up by the group Linkin Park, who performed at the opening of the show, the spectators offered a triumphant welcome to the players of the two teams, with particular affection for Faker, who enjoys an iconic status in top esports. of his 28 years.
An indecisive final
The confrontation looked particularly indecisive, the two teams having faced each other six times over the last 18 months with three victories each.
BLG started very strong, giving T1 no chance in the first set. But the South Koreans immediately got back on track by dominating the second in spectacular fashion. The rest was largely to the advantage of Bilibili Gaming during a third one-sided game, which gave the Chinese a match point.
It was then that Faker took matters into his own hands, emerging when necessary to save his team with an XXL performance. He once again took responsibility in the decisive round in front of apnea spectators, carrying T1 to another victory.
“A legend forever”
A rare thing in esports where player transfers are much more frequent than in traditional sport, the team was made up for the third year in a row of the same five players, Zeus, Oner, Gumayusi and Keria accompanying Faker.
League of Legends is an extremely popular game played five against five where the objective is to destroy the opposing team's fortress. Historically, South Korea has been the dominant nation in the competition, but in recent years, Chinese teams have made inroads into the sport.
BLG hoped to offer China a fourth title but it was ultimately South Korea, the historic land of esports, which lifted the trophy once again.
A popular success
Although the match started around midnight in Korea due to the time difference, hundreds of T1 fans gathered at LoL Park, an esports venue located in central Seoul. “T1 is the most special team because they succeed when everyone says it’s impossible,” Lee Pari, a T1 fan, told AFP.
As usual, Faker, officially recognized as a “national treasure” in his country, made the room roar with each of his appearances on screen.
“He's my favorite player, and I don't think there will ever be another player who will achieve as much as him,” said Kim Do-hyun, a ten-year T1 fan. “I think he will remain a legend forever.”
