The League of Legends World Championship: A Historical Overview
The League of Legends World Championship, commonly referred to as Worlds, ranks among the premier events in the esports landscape. Each year, the tournament showcases the pinnacle of competitive gameplay, with the winning teams etched into history.
Evolution of the Tournament
From its humble beginnings as a small gathering of teams, the League of Legends Worlds has transformed into a monumental esports spectacle. Presently, it holds the distinction of being the most-watched esports event globally, captivating millions of viewers annually. The upcoming 2024 championship is poised to break viewership records.
Riot Games, the developer of League of Legends, has leveraged the success of this tournament to propel itself to unprecedented heights, filling stadiums and garnering widespread media attention with each passing year.
The image showcases the 2019 Worlds stage in Spain, reflecting the grandeur and scale of this prestigious tournament.
Regional Dominance and Emerging Competitors
Historically, South Korean teams have dominated the Worlds, but China has made significant strides in recent years, earning several titles. A potential matchup to watch in 2024 is between Knight and Faker, where a victory for Knight would mark the first time a non-Korean mid-laner clinches the championship in over a decade.
While regions such as North America and parts of Europe have yet to secure a world title, Europe holds the distinction of being the first region to win, with Fnatic taking the trophy in 2011.
The Rewards of Victory
In addition to the prestigious title and significant monetary rewards, champions of the Worlds gain the unique honor of having commemorative skins designed based on their achievements, immortalizing their legacy within the game.
League of Legends Worlds Winners by Year
| Year | Team | Roster |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Fnatic | xPeke, Cyanide, Shushei, LamiaZealot, Mellisan |
| 2012 | Taipei Assassins | Stanley, lilballz, Toyz, Bebe, MiSTakE |
| 2013 | SK Telecom T1 K | Impact, Bengi, Faker, Piglet, PoohManDu |
| 2014 | Samsung White | Looper, Dandy, PawN, imp, Mata |
| 2015 | SK Telecom T1 | MaRin, Bengi, Faker, Easyhoon, Bang, Wolf |
| 2016 | SK Telecom T1 | Duke, Bengi, Blank, Faker, Bang, Wolf |
| 2017 | Samsung Galaxy | CuVee, Ambition, Haru, Crown, Ruler, CoreJJ |
| 2018 | Invictus Gaming | Duke, TheShy, Ning, Rookie, JakeyLove, Baolan |
| 2019 | FunPlus Phoenix | GimGoon, Tian, Doinb, Lwx, Crisp |
| 2020 | DAMWON | Nuguri, Canyon, ShowMaker, Ghost, BeryL |
| 2021 | Edward Gaming | Flandre, JieJie, Scout, Viper, Meiko |
| 2022 | DRX | Kingen, Pyosik, Zeka, Deft, BeryL |
| 2023 | T1 | Zeus, Oner, Faker, Gumayusi, Keria |
| 2024 | T1/BLG |
League of Legends Worlds Winners by Number of Trophies
The illustrious Worlds trophy has evolved significantly over the years. Despite the longevity of the championship, only a select few players have claimed multiple titles, highlighting the stiff competition and skill required to succeed at this level. Notably, Lee “Duke” Ho-seong stands out for winning championships with different organizations.
| Number of World Titles | Players |
|---|---|
| 4 | Faker |
| 3 | Night |
| 2 | Bang, Wolf, Duke, BeryL |
| 1 |
Impact, xPeke, Cyanide, Shushei, LamiaZealot, Mellisan, Stanley, lilballz, Toyz, Bebe, MiSTakE, Piglet, PoohManDu, Looper, Dandy, PawN, imp, Mata, MaRin, Easyhoon, CuVee, Ambition, Haru, Crown, Ruler, TheShy, Ning, Rookie, JakeyLove, Baolan, GimGoon, Tian, Doinb, Lwx, Crisp, Nuguri, Canyon, ShowMaker, Ghost, Flandre, JieJie, Scout, Viper, Meiko, Kingen, Pyosik, Zeka, Deft, CoreJJ, Zeus, Gumayusi, Oner, Keria |
League of Legends Worlds Winners by Country
The Worlds event has been primarily dominated by South Korean talent. Notably, even the three Chinese teams that have claimed victory—Invictus Gaming, FunPlus Phoenix, and Edward Gaming—featured a strong presence of Korean players. Interestingly, without the inclusion of Fnatic in 2011, only four countries would be represented in the list of champions.
| Country | Players |
|---|---|
| South Korea | Impact, Bengi, Faker, Piglet, PoohManDu, Looper, Dandy, PawN, imp, Mata, MaRin, Easyhoon, Bang, Wolf, Duke, Blank, CuVee, Ambition, Haru, Crown, Ruler, TheShy, Rookie, GimGoon, Doinb, Nuguri, Canyon, ShowMaker, Ghost, BeryL, Scout, Viper, Kingen, Pyosik, Zeka, Deft, CoreJJ, Zeus, Gumayusi, Oner, Keria |
| China | Flandre, JieJie, Meiko, Tian, Lwx, Crisp, Ning, JakeyLove, Baolan |
| Taiwan | Stanley, lilballz, Bebe, MiSTakE |
| Hong Kong | Toyz |
| Germany | LamiaZealot, Mellissan |
| Poland | Shushei |
| Finland | Cyanide |
| Spain | xPeke |
This article will be regularly updated as new winners of the League of Legends World Championship emerge. For additional insights, you can view the complete list of MSI winners here.
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