The T1 – KT Match Could Be a Precedent for Determining the World Championship Winner
As is well known, on the afternoon of September 14 (Vietnam time), T1 and KT Rolster entered the final match of the Summer Split for the global League of Legends community to determine the last qualified team for the 2024 World Championship. Living up to the expectations of the global League of Legends community (and perhaps even Riot), T1 convincingly defeated KT after 5 games, becoming the final team to participate in this year’s biggest international tournament for League of Legends. However, it would be even more meaningful to know that in the past, KT had also “contributed” to determining which teams would ascend to the championship title afterward.
Specifically, from 2013 until before the 2024 World Championship, except for the years 2014 – 2016, and 2019 – 2021, all teams that won the World Championship had previously defeated KT. Specifically, these were SKT T1 (2013), Samsung Galaxy (2017), Invictus Gaming (2018), DRX (2022), and T1 (2023). In 2023 alone, KT lost to Bilibili Gaming, LNG Esports, and JD Gaming. However, the “spiritual factor” did not seem to favor LPL teams when T1 had already “taken” KT before they chose T1 in the first match of the LCK Summer playoffs that year.
Notably, in 2016, Samsung Galaxy defeated KT to secure the last spot in that year’s World Championship. SSG then made it all the way to the World Championship finals that year but had to accept defeat against the mighty SKT T1.
But T1 Players Still Need to Strive Harder
In Summer 2024, it can be said that T1 is even weaker than they were last year and are under much more scrutiny. The roster is the same, but even the audience and the players could only breathe a sigh of relief when KT’s Nexus exploded in Game 5. It would be somewhat impossible to defend the championship if T1 plays like they have in the past at the upcoming World Championship.
The World Championship arena will be very different, and teams will be very determined to achieve their goals. Every match will be crucial, and T1 players themselves must give their all if they want to replicate the miraculous journey of last year.