Last year, Faker was the first inductee into the Hall of Legends. This new LoL seasonal feature comes in the middle of each competitive year to officially award the status of game legend to one more player. The 2025 inductee remains a mystery and Riot Games is expected to release more informations in May. However, a hint has already been revealed: ”This player has made his mark on League. He has inspired the next generation of upcoming players”. So who will have the tough task of succeeding the undisputed GOAT of League of Legends? In any case, he will not receive the same unanimous welcome. Here’s my list of potential players who deserve the HoL this year, in order of priority.
Jian “Uzi” Zihao
Uzi fits very well in the description made of the player: “He has inspired the next generation of upcoming players.” If he’s not known for his trophy case, he is known for his individual skills. Highly recognized as one of the most mechanically gifted player that ever entered the Summoner’s Rift, his signature pick was Vayne for a reason. He inspired the next generation of AD Carries by being one of the first to click forward and forcing his opponents to make mistakes by creating the spaces for himself. More than trying to survive by staying behind his frontlane, like ADCs usually did. The next generation of aggressive Chinese botlaners such as Jackeylove and Elk owe a lot to him in this respect. But there’s a big hole that will probably never be filled in Uzi’s career: he never lifted a Worlds trophy. He’s been twice in Final with Royal Club in 2013 and 2014, and managed to win an MSI trophy (2018), at least. I also feel like Riot should induct a Chinese player after Faker. And if this is the case, he is the uncontested first option. Uzi also won two LPL titles before retiring in 2023, due to health issues.
Kang “TheShy” Seung-lok
If the next inductee isn’t a Chinese player, it should at least be an LPL player. Similarly, if Riot wants to highlight winning Worlds as the bare minimum to claim the HoL, then TheShy is the ideal candidate. Not only did he bring glory to China by winning Worlds in 2018 with Invictus Gaming, he also got countless highlights in the process. He has been one of his team’s highest damage dealers throughout the competition, while only playing professionally for his second year. But he also got back to a Worlds’ final five years later – with the unexpected WBG in 2023 – proving as an eternal great. TheShy also won the LPL once, in 2019. He has been known all of his carrer as a solokill machine and a huge sidelane threat. If there’s one toplaner who has influenced the next generation of toplaners to play agressively, extend their champion pools and use their mechanical skills to outplay in the 1v1, it’s him. Until Zeus win Worlds without Faker, he will be the first toplaner on the list.
Cho “BeryL” Geon-hee
There’s only two players that ever won Worlds with two different teams. One only played a single playoffs game at Worlds 2018 (Duke), the other played every game while being memed for using his free time to play Genshin Impact instead of soloqueues… BeryL is quite the opposite of both names that I mentioned earlier. The support was never known for being a mechanical phenomenon like prime Keria for example. It’s his instinct and IQ in game that elevated him as a legend and probably, as the best support that ever played the game (arguably with Mata). BeryL won Worlds first with Damwong KIA in 2020, then made the miraculous run with DRX in 2022. The achievement is even more impressive because he is one of the few LCK players that won Worlds without ever playing for T1. Speaking of LCK, BeryL won three Korean titles. His unconventional playstyle is what distinguish him the most from most supports, as he’s been mostly finding success on lane bullies, with his signature Heimerdinger influencing the whole meta back in 2022/23. Not the flashiest, but he will for sure be remembered as one of the greatest of all time.
Bae “Bengi” Seong-woong
In the NBA’s Hall of Fame – the best example of a memorial hall of fame in sport – Scottie Pippen was inducted in 2010, the year after Michael Jordan. If Faker is the Jordan of LoL, Bengi is like Pippen: his biggest lieutenant, hands down. The GOAT’s lifelong jungler has won three Worlds trophies alongside him (2013, 2015 and 2016) in addition to his 5 Champions/LCK trophies. The Jungle God left T1 with honours in 2016, then retired the following year after a single LPL split with Vici Gaming. Since then, he has been a distinguished coach on the circuit. He coached his lifelong team until 2023, before joining the ranks of Dplus, which he still holds today.
Rasmus “Caps” Winther
Of all the names I’ve mentioned, he’s probably the least deserving, as not only has he never won a Worlds title, but he’s also been at the top international level for only two or three years. Since G2’s absence from international tournament in 2021, the Baby Faker seems to have faded somewhat with his region. However, if there is ever to be a Western player inducted, he should be the first. Caps is not just the only non-Asian player ever to reach the Worlds final twice, he is also by far the most domestically decorated player with 14 LEC trophies. Like Uzi, he can also claim to have won an international tournament at MSI 2019. None of his Western peers come close to his record, just as none have come that close to being considered the best player in the world as he did between 2018 and 2020. An inspiration for the new generation of players in Europe, isn’t it?
