Top 10 Best League of Legends Players Worldwide in 2023

ShowMaker is one of South Korea's most talented mid-laners in League of Legends. Currently playing for Damwon Gaming, ShowMaker has become a cornerstone of the team. With aspirations to be the world’s number one mid-laner, he’s often compared to Faker, the immortal ‘Demon King’ of the game.

Throughout his career, ShowMaker has made life difficult for other mid-laners like Rookie (IG) and Jensen (TL). Notably, he even solo-killed Faker (SKT T1) at his peak—one of the most legendary mid-laners with multiple World Championship titles. ShowMaker turned professional in 2017 with DAMWON Gaming, making his debut at KeSPA 2017. In the following year, he helped DAMWON climb to LCK, South Korea’s top league. By 2019, ShowMaker had become a star, playing alongside Nuguri to lead DAMWON to a 4th-place finish in the Spring Split and top-tier performances in Summer. Although they fell short of T1 in the Playoffs, DAMWON broke records by qualifying for the 2019 World Championship in their first LCK season. ShowMaker’s growth has been pivotal, as he refined his playstyle to support his team, especially helping Canyon secure key kills. His all-around gameplay helped elevate DAMWON, and ShowMaker was lauded as the best mid-laner in LCK, and even globally at Worlds 2020.

Winning the 2020 World Championship marked a breakthrough for both DAMWON and ShowMaker. However, this may just be the beginning of his journey. Will ShowMaker maintain his level of play and become the next Faker?

Bae 'Bengi' Seong-ung is a legendary South Korean professional player and former member of SK Telecom T1 (SKT). He served as the team's primary jungler, and alongside his teammate, Lee 'Faker' Sang-hyeok, Bengi helped lead SKT to three World Championship titles in 2013, 2015, and 2016.

Born on November 21, 1993, Bengi began his career in 2013 with SKT T1 #2, one of two teams created and supported by SK Telecom. Together with his teammates, he shocked the world by defeating some of the top teams of the time to secure the Korean regional championship (LCK), and soon after, they won the World Championship in 2013, only a year after their debut. In 2014, the team was renamed SKT T1 K, while their sister team became SKT T1 S. Despite a strong start to the season, the departure of PoohManDu mid-season caused SKT T1 K to struggle. In early 2015, following a major roster reshuffle, three players from SKT T1 K left, and the remaining core of Bengi and Faker led the newly unified SK Telecom T1 to their second World Championship title. In 2016, Bengi and Faker continued their dominance, winning the Mid-Season Invitational and defending their World Championship title, breaking the curse of not winning back-to-back Worlds titles. After this, Bengi left SKT in late 2016 to join Vici Gaming in China, reuniting with his former SKT teammate, Easyhoon. However, communication issues hindered the team's performance, and Bengi's time with Vici Gaming ended in failure. He returned to Korea after a disappointing 2017 World Championship with SKT, but this time, he returned as a coach.

Mata, whose real name is Se-hyeong, is a renowned esports player and support for SK Telecom T1. His ID, 'Mata,' is inspired by the famous footballer Juan Mata.

He gained fame for his exceptional skill in the support role, earning comparisons with MadLife. Fans of OGN once remarked, 'If MadLife is a god, then Mata is a Buddha.' During the 2013 OLYMPUS Champions Spring, MonteCristo dubbed Mata as the Rookie of the Year, given his relatively short time in professional play, having started his LoL career in February 2013. Mata has accumulated multiple accounts in Korea’s Challenger tier, each showcasing a different role.

In his debut season with SKT, Mata helped his team secure two LCK titles in both the Spring and Summer splits of 2019, contributing to SKT’s dominance in the Korean league once again.

Individual Achievements:

• 3-time LCK Champion
• 1-time LPL Champion
• OGN Club Masters Champion
• 2014 World Champion
• 3-time KDA Leader (Support)
• 1-time MVP

Canyon from DWG is a name that’s well-known to League of Legends fans around the world. As the jungler for Damwon Kia, Canyon is often regarded as one of the best junglers in the world today. His aggressive playstyle, excellent jungle clears, superior ganks, and ability to solo any match-up make him a standout player.

The year 2020 was a breakthrough for Canyon and DWG Kia, as they secured the World Championship title by defeating Suning 3-1 in the finals.

• Won the LCK Summer 2020 title
• Claimed the Kespa Cup 2020 after a 3-0 victory against NS

Canyon's Individual Achievements:

• 2019 LCK Summer MVP
• 2020 LCK Summer MVP Runner-up
• 2021 LCK Summer MVP Top 3

As of now, Canyon continues to prove himself as one of the best junglers in the world.

Rookie is a South Korean player who will be competing for TES in the 2023 LPL season. Known as a close friend of TheShy, he is one of the most renowned players in China, especially during his time with Invictus Gaming. The iconic duo of Rookie and TheShy from iG’s 2018 roster dominated both the LPL and Worlds, becoming legends in the process.

However, in recent times, Rookie and his teammates have struggled to achieve similar success in major competitions, even missing out on international events where they once thrived. In the 2022 Summer Split, Rookie’s team, V5, finished 5th-6th in the playoffs, alongside RNG, and was unexpectedly eliminated during the Regional Qualifiers for Worlds.

Kang 'TheShy' Seung-lok is a legendary South Korean top laner who made a name for himself playing for Invictus Gaming. His in-game name, previously stylized as 'The shy,' became synonymous with exceptional top lane plays.

As one of the pillars of IG, TheShy was instrumental in their historic victory at the 2018 World Championship, marking their first-ever title. Often mistaken for the Korean top laner Shy (formerly of CJ Entus), TheShy’s influence in the Chinese scene has been undeniable.

TheShy started his professional career in 2014 with Anarchy but moved to Team WE as a streamer in November of that year. He stayed with Team WE until May 2017, when he joined Invictus Gaming as their new top laner. His first season with IG saw the team finish 3rd in the LPL Spring 2017, with a 10-6 record. IG performed even better in the playoffs, securing a 3rd place finish by defeating Team WE in the third-place match. However, IG couldn’t secure a spot at Worlds 2017 after being eliminated by WE in the Regional Finals.

TheShy's Individual Achievements:

• LPL 2019 Champion
• 2018 World Champion
• 2019 LPL Spring MVP

Ruler is one of the most talented ADC players in League of Legends history. Though he may not have as many championships as icons like Faker or Bengi, Ruler’s journey through the highs and lows of World Championship experiences makes him one of the most remarkable players to have ever competed. He’s truly seen it all.

In 2016, as a rookie, Ruler finished as the runner-up at Worlds, falling short against SKT T1. The following year, he and Samsung Galaxy (SSG) got their redemption, defeating SKT to claim the 2017 World Championship. SSG rebranded to Gen.G in 2018, but Ruler and his team were eliminated early, marking the worst performance ever by an LCK representative at Worlds.

In 2019, Ruler’s Gen.G didn’t even make it to the World Championship, and in 2020, they were knocked out in the quarterfinals by G2 Esports. 2021 saw them lose to EDward Gaming in the semifinals, with the latter going on to become world champions.

Despite all the setbacks, Ruler’s career has been a rollercoaster of emotions. He’s faced losses but always bounced back, and he continues to be a dominant force in League of Legends. In 2022, there’s a chance he might once again claim the World Championship title, but regardless of the outcome, Ruler remains a legend in the world of esports, both in Korea and globally.

Ruler earned 21 out of 40 votes for the title of Best LCK Player in the 2022 Summer Split. Many experts agree that the Gen.G ADC deserves a spot among the top 5 best players in Korea today.

Faker is a professional esports athlete, widely regarded as one of the greatest League of Legends players in history. A central figure in the South Korean domination of LoL, Faker is the superstar of the game, often called the best player in the world.

Faker's career has been nothing short of spectacular. He has won 14 titles, including 3 World Championships, 2 MSI trophies, and 9 LCK titles. As a mid-laner, Faker has become a legend, with his impact on the game making him a household name. Despite his decline in recent years, no player has yet surpassed his monumental legacy. Faker is the founder of Team SKT T1 and is known for his mastery of champions like Gragas, LeBlanc, Riven, Zed, Ahri, and Orianna. One of his most iconic moments came when he played LeBlanc to perfection in a professional match, finishing with a flawless 12-0 KDA.

Faker has earned widespread recognition, including from esports journalists and fellow pros. He has been compared to Lionel Messi by the likes of Maknoon, and OMG Cool dubbed him the 'Unkillable Demon King' after a legendary LeBlanc performance. His dominance on Riven in solo queue during Season 3 remains a hallmark of his career, with a 92% win rate across 24 games in North America.

In 2015, Faker and SKT made a triumphant return, clinching the SBENU Championship Spring, but falling short in MSI, losing 3-2 to EDG. However, Faker's skill continued to shine in the Summer, as SKT claimed victory in the SBENU Championship Summer and advanced to the 2015 World Championship. There, Faker’s Ryze decimated opponents, and SKT avenged their earlier MSI loss to EDG, ultimately winning their second World Championship, defeating KOO Tigers 3-1. This victory made Faker and Bengi the first players to win two World Championships. In 2016, Faker once again showcased his brilliance, leading SKT to another World Championship title, this time with Viktor.

BeryL's career serves as a testament to the saying, 'form is temporary, but class is permanent.' After DRX's stunning victory over LCK Summer 2022 champions Gen.G, they earned a spot in the 2022 World Championship playoffs finals. In a thrilling series, DRX triumphed 3-1, sending the tournament favorites home in shock. Once again, BeryL demonstrated the unparalleled skill of a top-tier support player. Reaching the World Championship finals three times in a row, BeryL became the fourth player in League of Legends history to achieve this remarkable feat.

Starting from an unknown team, BeryL quickly caught the attention of Korean media by leading DWG to the prestigious LCK tournament after only two seasons in the Challengers division. Known for his unique playstyle and mastery of a wide range of support champions, including Pyke and Pantheon, BeryL rose to prominence as one of the most versatile and effective supports in the game.

Together with ShowMaker and Canyon, BeryL was the backbone of DWG's dominance during their golden era. After missing out on two international titles in a row, BeryL joined DRX, a team that had once been at the bottom of the LCK Summer 2021 standings. Alongside his new teammates, he led them to their first-ever World Championship final, determined to finish their Cinderella story on the highest note possible.

Kim Hyuk-kyu, also known as Deft, is a professional League of Legends player from Seoul, South Korea, born on October 23, 1996. As a key member of DWG KIA, Deft's career took a remarkable turn in 2018 when he and his team, KT Rolster, were selected to carry the torch for the PyeongChang Winter Olympics. Deft’s crowning achievement came in 2022, when he and DRX won the 2022 League of Legends World Championship, marking the pinnacle of his career.

On September 4, 2022, Deft and DRX secured their spot at the 2022 Worlds in North America, beating KT Rolster and Liiv SANDBOX 3-2 in a thrilling series. However, DRX had to start from the Play-In stage. They proceeded to go undefeated in the Play-Ins with a 5-0 record, topped their group in the Main Event with a 5-2 score, and made an incredible comeback against Edward Gaming in the Quarterfinals, winning 3-2 after trailing 2-0 – a feat only accomplished once before in Worlds history by TOP Esports in 2020.

In the Semifinals, DRX stunned Gen.G with a dominant 3-1 victory, ending a 13-game losing streak to them. In the Finals, DRX faced T1, Faker's team, who had defeated DRX twice in the LCK during Spring and Summer 2022. However, Deft and his team triumphed 3-2, becoming the fourth Korean team to win the World Championship, following SK Telecom T1 (2013, 2015, 2016), Samsung Galaxy (2017), and DAMWON Gaming (2020). This victory completed Deft's illustrious trophy collection, which includes:

• 4 domestic league titles: LCK Summer 2017 and Spring 2018 with Longzhu Gaming (now DRX), LPL Spring 2015 and Summer 2016 with Edward Gaming.
• 5 secondary tournament titles: 4 Demacia Cup titles (China) and 1 KeSPA Cup title (Korea).
• 1 Mid-Season Invitational title in 2015.
• 2022 League of Legends World Championship title.