Top Lane: Xiaohu (January 28, 1998)
Xiaohu did not originally come from the top lane; he was primarily a mid laner. However, since taking over for Cryin, the Little Tiger has performed so well that many LPL fans, especially supporters of Royal Never Give Up, hoped the management would bring in a quality mid laner to allow Xiaohu to reclaim his position at the top. Xiaohu’s peak achievements include winning the MSI championship twice (2018 and 2021) with RNG. However, for him, as well as for RNG fans and LPL supporters, the ultimate goal remains the Worlds Championship title.
Jungle: SofM (February 5, 1998)
In the jungle position, besides SofM, there are other well-known names, but if we consider current performance and talent, many would immediately think of the “Vietnamese Jungle God.” He is also the only Vietnamese player to have reached the finals of a Worlds Championship, earning the “deification” from LPL fans alongside legends like TheShy, Faker, Uzi, and MadLife.
Not only is SofM a cornerstone of the former Snake Esports and the current Suning/Weibo Gaming, he is also seen as a player who has changed the playstyle of junglers in the LPL. With his unique champion picks and a gameplay style that is both aggressive and meticulously controls vision across the map, SofM has often left audiences stunned when his vision score surpasses that of both supports combined. In the 2020 season, SofM and SN fell just short of reaching paradise. Yet, he is still expected to lead WBG to new titles alongside “Top God” TheShy, Angel, Huanfeng, and ON.
Mid Lane: Perkz (September 30, 1998)
Another Tiger Year player who is exceptionally talented in the League of Legends scene is Perkz. Like his former teammate Wunder, Perkz is part of the “golden generation” that brought G2 to the 2019 Worlds finals, where they suffered a regrettable defeat against a very strong FunPlus Phoenix. At the time of the 2019 Worlds, Perkz played as an AD Carry, and he is now the new mid laner for Team Vitality after leaving Cloud9 at the end of the 2021 season.
With undeniable talent, Perkz will be one of the names that finds it difficult to reach glory again, as he has done in the past. Currently, at 24 years old, he is at an age that can be considered ripe for a professional player, but fundamentally, the Western League of Legends (EU and NA) no longer holds a candle to the Eastern League of Legends (LPL, LCK). Perkz himself likely understands this, as he and C9 nearly failed to make it past the group stage of the 2021 Worlds.
Bot Lane: Teddy (March 15, 1998) – Ming (December 22, 1998)
In the AD Carry position, the name Teddy may spark debates, as throughout his career, the former T1 star has struggled to stand out compared to his contemporaries like Ruler or even Perkz when he played as an AD Carry. However, Teddy exemplifies the prevailing playstyle at Jin Air Greenwings and to some extent throughout LCK: nurturing the AD Carry and dragging the game late with very few skirmishes, emphasizing strategy.
Even currently, as Teddy plays for Kwangdong Freecs, the situation hasn’t improved, with matches often dragging on and lacking highlights. Teddy himself is unable to maintain his previous form, and alongside Perkz, he is one of the names least likely to compete for the Worlds trophy, even though they still have at least one more year to play.
On the other hand, Support player Ming is different. He is considered to have very stable performance and is a reliable partner, working well with GALA to form a powerful bot lane in the LPL. Like Xiaohu, Ming’s peak was winning the MSI championship twice in 2018 and 2021, but he will always crave the Worlds Championship title – something he has yet to achieve despite having once fought alongside the legend Uzi and now with the rising star GALA in RNG.
