Gen.G Esports crowned League of Legends champions at Esports World Cup 2025 in Riyadh
For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport
The Korean powerhouses now sit top of the Club Championship standings with 1,800 points, following a historic run that has seen them go unbeaten in 26 consecutive matches, one of the most commanding streaks in the history of competitive League of Legends.
The title win in Riyadh follows closely on the heels of their victory at the Mid-Season Invitational, making this the fastest back-to-back international title haul ever recorded in the game.
Their flawless campaign at the Esports World Cup culminated in a thrilling five-game final against AG.AL, who had earlier stunned both Hanwha Life Esports and reigning champions T1.
'It's a very meaningful win for our team,' said Kim "Kiin" Ki-in, who was later named tournament MVP and awarded a $10,000 prize.
'In the past in international events we feel that we have underperformed, so to achieve back-to-back wins in the Mid-Season Invitational and now here at the Esports World Cup means that we are still a top contender level team. We are right at the top.
'And on a personal level, the wins let me know that I'm still the player I know I can be and that we can continue to lift many trophies together.'
Teammate Jeong "Chovy" Ji-hoon praised the atmosphere in the Riyadh Arena for playing a key role in their final push.
'The atmosphere in the arena was amazing, you could really feel it and I think that support was what drove us to go on and win in the end,' he said.
'The overall support of the fans throughout the tournament was incredible, they were electric and energetic, and they continue to drive us to lift more trophies again as soon as we can compete again,' he added.
The Gen.G lineup of Joo "Duro" Min-kyu, Jeong, Kim "Canyon" Geon-bu, Park "Ruler" Jae-hyuk, and Kim outclassed 11 other top-tier teams to secure the $600,000 winners' prize and an additional 1,000 Club Championship points.
Arnold Hur, CEO of Gen.G Esports, hailed the team's consistency and hunger for improvement.
'For us, the important thing is to keep on improving and delivering positive performances and results each year compared to the previous one, and that's what we're doing in this year's edition so far,' he said. 'Everyone is working to help the club reach new heights and to keep rising.'
Reflecting on his MVP performance, Kiin added: 'We were here last year, but we got eliminated early, so this time I wanted to lift the trophy, and I did. I'm really excited.'
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