For regions like the LCK and LPL, the Hangzhou ASIAD at the end of the year is not just an opportunity to compete for gold medals, but also to determine which region is stronger. ASIAD is also a great opportunity to promote League of Legends (LoL) specifically and the esports scene in general. The goal is nothing less than looking forward to a future where esports disciplines will be more involved in mainstream sporting events.
And any region will always face challenges in selecting their roster, and VCS is no exception. Although it is difficult to compare the skill levels of the VCS with regions like LPL or LCK, the VCS region certainly has its share of talented players, while the roster for ASIAD consists of only six members. Moreover, finding a coach who is both capable and passionate enough to lead this team is a complex issue, as any name chosen will undoubtedly spark controversy.
Recently, in a live broadcast, renowned commentator Hoàng Luân shared his initial assessments of the Vietnamese LoL roster for the Hangzhou ASIAD. He acknowledged that any name chosen will inevitably lead to mixed opinions, even “backlash” from fans.
Commentator Hoàng Luân also mentioned that the Jungle position is the most contentious in the roster of the Vietnamese LoL representatives for the upcoming ASIAD. He stated: “Levi is almost a certainty, but SofM is quite unpredictable. Since SofM has been on a break, it will be very hard to choose him.”
In reality, SofM’s expertise and experience are unquestionable. However, as of now, SofM is still on a break and there are no signs indicating that he will return to the professional arena in the near future. Therefore, the possibility of SofM being “overlooked” cannot be ruled out. Furthermore, it is uncertain whether SofM will agree to return to compete immediately for the ASIAD roster, especially considering the importance of this team as a representative of Vietnamese LoL.
Not only LCK or LPL, but even VCS will have discussions about the roster for ASIAD. And regardless of which names are chosen, it will be both an honor and an invisible pressure as the expectations from the Vietnamese LoL community are incredibly high for the upcoming ASIAD.