World Championship 2022 in the League of Legends has officially concluded with the championship title going to the boys of team DRX. However, even though the journey has ended, its echoes remain forever in the hearts of fans, especially for Deft. Deft and his teammates’ story is likened to a fairy tale, as the team, considered the weakest among the 8 teams from LCK and LPL, rose to claim the championship. Among their achievements, DRX defeated many strong opponents such as EDward Gaming, Gen.G Esports, and even T1.
The world championship title in 2022 was extremely meaningful for Deft himself, as this was his first Summoner’s Cup in his 10-year professional League of Legends career. It is known that in previous years, Deft was unable to reach the semifinals of Worlds since 2014. Almost every year, this veteran marksman consistently fell short in the quarterfinals, despite always being regarded as a top player in LCK.
Entering the 2022 season as the elder brother, Deft led his younger teammates through the play-in stage easily, finishing first in Group C. They then continued to defeat EDward Gaming in 5 thrilling matches. Not stopping there, they overcame Gen.G – the number one seed in LCK and a candidate for the Worlds championship. Ultimately, the boys triumphed over T1, lifting the Worlds trophy through an unprecedented historic journey.
Deft and Faker were classmates in the same high school in South Korea. Since their debut, the two have taken separate paths to gradually establish themselves as some of the best League of Legends players in the world, though their international success has been very different. While Faker quickly secured 3 Summoner’s Cups along with many other impressive awards and became the legendary “Unkillable Demon King”, for Deft, he was still missing the world championship title to complete his achievements.
Faker participated in the 2022 World Championship with a burning desire to claim the cup to extend his undefeated streak, while Deft, on the contrary, did not set his goals too high and only hoped to go as far as possible. Perhaps it was because he didn’t place too much importance on the championship that Deft played much more confidently and creatively.
Moreover, the 2022 Worlds may very well be Deft’s last season, as he turned 28 this year and will soon have to pause his career to enlist in the army according to South Korean law. Therefore, the world championship trophy holds great significance for him. Besides, being one of the first-generation players still competing today, in the near future, Deft will have to hand over the stage and glory to the talented and passionate younger generation.
Nevertheless, the journey of Deft and his DRX teammates at the 2022 Worlds remains a miracle, providing the audience with a thrilling, dramatic, and particularly exciting final match.