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esports
These iconic moments prove why LoL's Mid-Season Invitational matters
Worlds may be the pinnacle of League of Legends esports, but the Mid-Season Invitational has secured the legacies of some very big names.
The League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) is a spectacular event and has led to some of the greatest moments in LoL esports history, yet it is still not appreciated enough.
This year, the Korea e-Sports Association (KeSPA) selected its roster for the 2026 Asia Games – an Olympic-level event with gold medals and exemption from military service on the line – using statistics-based methodology without taking MSI performances into account.
A select section of fans speak as if winning Worlds is the only thing that matters, yet MSI is equally as difficult to win. Many even argue MSI’s double-elimination format is a fairer judge of strength compared to Worlds’ unforgiving Knockouts Stage.
Either way, you only have to look at this year’s stacked MSI line-up with T1, G2, BLG, HLE, and TES to know that winning the tournament is a tremendous achievement. Especially as the event has given us 10+ years of some of the most iconic moments in LoL esports history.
01
EDward Gaming outsmart Faker
EDG shocked SKT and the World in 2015
© Riot Games
The very first MSI treated us to one of the most shocking series in LoL history, a five-game thriller between EDward Gaming (EDG) and SK Telecom T1.
Not only did EDG secure China and LPL’s first international trophy, they did so by somehow making Lee ‘Faker’ Sang-hyeok look human.
It had been a difficult year for Faker, sharing the mid lane role with Lee ‘Easyhoon’ Ji-hoon, yet he was trusted for the fifth and final game. And when EDG allowed him to pick LeBlanc, a champion he had never lost on with 12 wins, most assumed it was over.
However, SKT had fallen into their trap. EDG counter-picked LeBlanc with Morganna mid and shut him down completely. Faker couldn’t roam to save his struggling bot duo and he couldn’t find the early kills he needed to snowball, leaving the pick useless in teamfights.
EDG won the series and proved that LCK teams could not only be defeated, they could also be outsmarted.
02
Never doubt CLG
One of LoL’s greatest comebacks and commentator calls came at MSI 2016 in Shanghai thanks to North America’s Counter Logic Gaming (CLG).
In true counter-logic fashion, CLG were the only team at the tournament to lose to Turkey’s SuperMassive but then beat the undefeated home-crowd favourites Royal Never Give Up and did so despite having been down 17k gold.
Having somehow won a fight and stolen a Dragon, CLG had control of the mid lane and a flank attempt failed spectacularly as Trevor ‘Stixxay’ Hayes picked up a triple kill to help his team find the clean ace to win the game.
Proud LCS caster Sam ‘Kobe’ Hartman-Kenzler famously screamed “I never doubted them!” in one of NA LoL’s greatest moments.
03
G2 speedrun history
The most successful European LoL team in history
© Riot Games
MSI 2019 will live long in the hearts of European LoL fans as the most important tournament in the region’s history.
The legendary G2 Esports roster had Luka ‘Perkz’ Perković roleswapped to ADC to make way for EMEA’s GOAT, Rasmus ‘Caps’ Winther.
G2 had already recorded a spectacular win over T1 with Martin ‘Wunder’ Hansen playing Pyke top in the fifth and decisive game of the semi-final.
Then, ahead of the final against Team Liquid, Wunder boldly said they would defeat their NA rivals in “the fastest international Bo5 ever” and he was right.
G2 stomped the final 3-0 in just 70m 41s total game time.
With many not counting the first LoL World Championship in 2011, this is considered the only international trophy a Western LoL team has ever won. A monumental moment in Caps’ legendary career.
04
Uzi’s long-awaited glory
Jian ‘Uzi’ Zihao was always considered one of the best players in the world and is still considered one of the all-time greats. He was the second person inducted into the Hall of Legends, behind only Faker.
Still, Uzi repeatedly fell short at international events.
That was until, after six years of being a pro and having finished runner-up at Worlds twice, he finally got his hands on a trophy at MSI 2018 with RNG.
Uzi secured legend status in 2018
© Riot Games
Uzi showed complete mastery of Kai’Sa, a champion that had only been released three months prior, to brilliantly lead his team to a long-awaited and well-deserved international title.
And it was his call that the enemy ADC had 10 seconds left before Quicksilver Sash came back off cooldown, that let RNG take the fight that won them the trophy.
05
Chovy breaks the curse
Chovy overcame the “Chokey” nickname with consecutive MSI titles
© Riot Games
The final of a trifecta of legendary players who ended international trophy droughts at MSI.
While Faker is undoubtedly the greatest LoL player ever, as his form has declined Jeong ‘Chovy’ Ji-hoon has been spoken about as potentially the best player in the world for numerous years.
Chovy began competing in 2017 and had to wait seven years, even longer than Uzi, to finally taste international glory.
A four-time LCK champion at the time, Chovy helped Gen.G finally live up to their hype at MSI 2024, playing with unbelievable consistency to repeatedly get the better of every elite player who challenged him.
Chovy then went and lifted the MSI trophy again in 2025. While he is still chasing his first Worlds title, and is a long way to catching up to T1 Faker’s legacy, there’s no denying Chovy’s own talent.
