There are plenty of esports with legitimate debates over who a game’s greatest player is. League of Legends is not one of those esports, and Faker proved why he’s earned that title yet again today.
T1’s win over G2 today didn’t just send the storied team to the Worlds 2024 Knockout stage in Paris, France. The victory also happened to be a first for any player in League history: Faker’s 100th win at Worlds competition. And he did it in style against the EU giants, first leading T1 in kills and sealing match one with a triple kill before running it back on Ahri in a back-and-forth game two, where he combined with Zeus for eight kills apiece. T1 rode their performance and an absolutely monster Baron steal from Oner to a 2-0 sweep over Caps and company.
This season has been a tumultuous one for T1, but after losing their first match of the Swiss stage to Top Esports, the team seems to have settled in, rattling off victories over paiN and BLG before delivering a crushing blow to G2, who will only have one more chance to qualify for the quarterfinals.
As such, it was great to both see Faker play strongly for T1 and for his team to rally around him with their own clutch plays. After widespread concern about the team and Faker’s own mental health in the summer, the team’s success is a welcome sight.
As for the four-time champ’s records, the 100th Worlds victory only underlines his greatness. The next closest players are close in name only: Ruler comes in second with 60 Worlds wins, while Deft has 50 to his name. Everyone else is below 50, meaning there’s only two players in League history with even half of Faker’s Worlds wins.
T1 will enter the quarterfinals with something to prove, even as defending champs. But they’ll do it with one player that needs no further proof: the GOAT.
