After the venue and list of participating teams for the 2021 World Championship were revealed, the topic of the strongest teams in the world has become extremely hot across many forums from Asia to Europe. Numerous rankings on this issue have emerged, and most assessments indicate that FunPlus Phoenix is one of the strongest teams at the 2021 Worlds.
This has led many to believe that FunPlus Phoenix has a very high chance of reaching the finals of the 2021 Worlds. Even on the stream of FPX captain Doinb, many viewers expressed hope that the Fire Phoenix would achieve the aforementioned goal. However, Doinb has a completely different perspective as his immediate target is only top 8. He also advised his fans not to think too early about FPX reaching the finals of the 2021 Worlds.
As the second seed from LPL at the 2021 Worlds, FunPlus Phoenix could potentially fall into a “group of death” with DWG KIA, Rogue, or MAD Lions, T1. Perhaps Doinb has already thought about such challenging groups and set a realistic initial goal of top 8, which means passing the group stage. Only when FPX achieves this goal can milestones like top 4, reaching the finals, or becoming champions be considered.
We need to remember that FunPlus Phoenix has lost 2 LPL finals this year, which is clearly not a pleasant experience for the players. Therefore, reducing pressure before an important tournament like the 2021 Worlds is extremely crucial for FPX. Doinb, being someone who understands this better than anyone, is why he sets the goal of reaching top 8 to help his teammates maintain the most relaxed mental state.