On November 12, T1 convincingly defeated JD Gaming (JDG) with a score of 3-1 in the semifinals of the 2023 World Championship (Worlds). This victory allowed Faker and his teammates to secure a spot in the upcoming finals against Weibo Gaming (WBG). Therefore, this promises to be an extremely exciting match as both T1 and WBG have a strong desire to win the championship.
Back to the recent semifinal match, although Keria was awarded the MVP title, it was Faker who made the crucial play that led T1 to victory. Specifically, in game three, when JDG was enjoying a significant advantage with the Baron buff, the “Demon King” made a precise maneuver to turn back Ruler with his teammates. This situation caused JDG to lose that game and demoralized them, leading to an overall defeat with a score of 1-3.
Perhaps due to being impressed by this outstanding play, Knight also praised Faker after the match, even though JDG had just been eliminated by T1 from the 2023 Worlds. “I have always thought Faker is an outstanding player. He has a great ability to control the game and possesses extensive knowledge of it. Faker can do everything best to help his teammates win,” Knight shared after the match.
As someone who faced Faker directly in the recent match, Knight likely understands the pressure of confronting the “Demon King” very well. Not only during the laning phase, but T1’s captain also created immense pressure during team fights and map control. This is also something Knight lacked in the recent match, and he will have to learn a lot from Faker after this year’s Worlds.
It is worth noting that Faker has turned 27 this year, an age often considered to be past the peak of an esports player’s career. In fact, many players the same age as Faker, such as Bang and Wolf, have already retired. However, the “Demon King” continues to persevere in League of Legends and deliver outstanding performances. This shows that Faker’s desire to compete and win remains very strong.
In the 2023 Worlds, Faker and his teammates are just one game away from the championship title against WBG. Hopefully, Faker can maintain his high performance to help T1 achieve a fulfilling conclusion to the 2023 season.