As of now in the LCK Spring 2022, T1 can be considered the strongest team with an impressive streak of 8 consecutive victories, and their latest victory was against Gen.G Esports. Broadening the scope to the 4 major leagues of League of Legends, T1’s performance can also be seen as the most impressive, as other unbeaten teams like LNG Esports and EDward Gaming have yet to face tough opponents like they have.
In T1’s success, each individual has made their own contributions, and notably, we cannot overlook Faker. At the current age of 26, the “Demon King” continues to play a significant role in T1’s success. No longer the youngest member being supported and protected by veterans like MaRin, Bang – Wolf, and Bengi, Faker is now the leader of the entire team. Gone are the days of solo kills or jaw-dropping skill displays; Faker now leaves his mark through team calls, macro play, and creating opportunities for his teammates to shine. In many of T1’s matches, even though Faker may not secure many kills, his performance has been outstanding, as seen in victories against DWG KIA and Nongshim RedForce.
Witnessing Faker’s performances so far, it’s hard to imagine that he is a player on the decline of his career. Moreover, not only Faker but many players who are considered older are still competing at the highest level in professional League of Legends and are performing exceptionally well, such as Rascal and Deft (LCK) or Bjergsen (LCS)…
After the victory against Gen.G, Faker was also asked about older players performing very well currently, even though they might be seen as past their prime, including himself. The “Demon King” stated: “Compared to before, people have studied this game much more. In the past, the game changed too quickly, but now it seems that everything has slowed down. The game doesn’t change as much anymore, so age is no longer a concern, and I believe players can maintain their performance and skills for a long time.”
With what has been shown in LCK Spring 2022 so far, Faker and T1 are the number one candidates for the championship of this tournament. Additionally, with good form, if they can maintain it consistently, Faker’s position on the South Korean team for the 2022 Asian Games is almost guaranteed. Not only T1 fans but most League of Legends audiences are also looking forward to him maintaining his good form and competing for many more years to achieve more accomplishments and break more records in the future.