Scout and LNG Soar High at Worlds 2024
After the third day of competition in the Swiss stage of Worlds 2024, LNG, featuring Scout, has undoubtedly been one of the most surprising teams for the audience. Although they were only the third seed from the LPL, they became the first team from this region to reach the Quarterfinals of Worlds 2024 with a convincing 3-0 record. The team’s excellent performance enabled them to completely defeat renowned teams like BLG and DK.
A significant contributor to this achievement is mid-laner Scout. After three days of competition, Scout is leading in mid-lane statistics such as KDA (15), average assists per game (9.3), and the fewest deaths (1). This shows that Scout has been actively participating in team fights and has been the spearhead helping LNG secure important victories.
The “Unbearable” Motivation that Helped Scout Shine at Worlds 2024
It is important to note that before Worlds 2024 took place, Scout was embroiled in a controversy with his former team EDG, putting his participation in this year’s Worlds at risk. However, after a long period of negotiation and settlement, Scout’s travel ban was lifted, allowing him to reunite with his teammates at LNG. Surprisingly, Scout revealed that this “drama” actually motivated him to perform better in recent matches.
“Since I started my professional career, I have always believed that if I don’t win, everything is meaningless. Therefore, my goal in every tournament is to win a title. However, Worlds 2024 is a bit special as I have a new motivation to fight. You know, I faced some personal issues before the tournament, and I think it negatively affected my teammates. I felt that I needed to make up for my teammates, so I trained harder to perform better at this year’s Worlds,” Scout shared.
Regarding Scout’s situation, many sources in the LPL revealed that the player had to pay EDG a compensation fee of up to 30 million RMB (approximately 75 billion VND). This amount is believed to have been borrowed from various sources like Ruler and GALA, as Scout’s bank account was reportedly temporarily frozen. Therefore, many viewers joked that Scout’s excellent performance is aimed at winning the championship along with a large prize money to repay his friends who helped him.
Of course, these opinions remain in the realm of “conspiracy theories.” In reality, Scout’s controversy once led LNG to consider hiring Yagao as a substitute, which could have negatively impacted the morale of other team members. As a star and leader of LNG, Scout likely felt guilty for allowing his personal issues to affect the team, which is why he trained harder and sought to compensate through his performance. If Scout continues to shine like in recent matches, it is entirely possible for LNG to advance deep into the tournament, even competing for the Worlds title.