T1 wins but Faker still has an “overexertion” performance that leaves fans stunned
One of the factors often utilized by players to “keep their hands” and practice new champion matchups is the solo queue environment. For LCK players, this is even more advantageous, as the Korean rank is always considered the highest quality in League of Legends. However, typically, players will only focus on climbing the ranks all night if they are not competing or if their team has just lost. Faker’s recent case is truly unusual: he played ranked all night until morning despite T1 just winning.
Accordingly, fans noticed Faker continuously climbing the ranks until 5 AM (Korean time) even though previously, T1 had won quite easily against BNK FearX. Most of Faker’s champion picks revolved around those he usually plays, such as Orianna, Taliyah, and Sylas. Notably, when using the champion Smolder, Faker lost significantly despite achieving a high kill count.
However, what worries fans is not just Faker’s “red-hot” match history while climbing the ranks, but rather the frequency of work from T1’s Mid Laner. Moreover, this is not the first time in the 2025 Regular Seasons that Faker has “tried hard” all night. However, unlike younger players, Faker is now older and has frequently battled wrist injuries last year. Therefore, Faker’s continuous ranked play, no matter the reason, raises concerns that his injuries may resurface.
Faker may have sensed that T1’s difficult phase is approaching
At this moment, T1 has secured a spot in the playoffs, and perhaps all their remaining group stage matches will aim to prepare the players mentally and strategically for more important matches. More than anyone else, Faker likely does not want to miss out on any international tournaments this year, especially since his team regrettably missed the First Stand earlier this year.
But Faker himself also needs to be cautious. If for any reason his performance is affected in the upcoming phase, it will be a significant loss for T1, especially with new formats this year and teams becoming more unpredictable.