MSI 2021: Five players to watch in Reykjavík

The 2021 Mid-Season Invitational is about to begin, with all 11 teams now in Iceland preparing for the first international clash on European soil since Worlds 2019, it promises to be an exciting tournament with the usual clash of styles and relatively untested talent going up against the best the world has to offer.

League of Legends may well be a team game, but individuals have the potential to shape matches and entire tournaments, and on that note, it’s time to take a look at some of those players

MAD Lions’ Armut

(Picture: Riot Games)

One of the biggest talents in the LEC, İrfan “Armut” Berk has set a new standard for European LoL, thanks in part to his strong performance during the Playoffs of the 2021 LEC Spring Season, where he demonstrated his dominance against rivals like G2 Esports.

The Turkish top laner has shown his talents with, Wukong, as well as his powerful Gnar. Even in his rookie year, his skills has been key to the recent success of the Spanish lions.

DWG KIA’s Canyon

(Picture: Riot Games)

Since his arrival in LCK with DAMWON Gaming, Kim "Canyon" Geon-bu has shown a constant evolution that has taken him to the top, managing to conquer each tournament since August 2020 and crowning himself as world champion thanks to the power of his Nidalee and his Graves.

• Read more: DAMWON Gaming's Worlds 2020 team skins revealed

Canyon has proven to be one of the most complete junglers in the world; With a varied champion pool, a super aggressive early game, and skill and target control that make him a player with no peers.

PSG Talon’s Maple

(Picture: Riot Games)

A legend of his region from his time on Flash Wolves, PSG Talon's Huang "Maple" Yi-Tang is a man who still has chapters to write in his illustrious career.

Maple's task won't be easy with his main AD Carry, Wong "Unified" Chun Kit, unable to attend MSI 2021 due to health problems, however, his stint at PCS has seen him exceed expectations and it appears that underdog status may well be when Maple does his best work. PSG Talon will hope so when it comes to MSI 2021.

RNG’s GALA

(Picture: Riot Games)

We rotate into the bot lane to meet the current best AD Carry in the world, Chen “GALA” Wei. Following the retirement of the legendary Jian “Uzi” Zi-Hao a year ago, this 20-year-old player arrived to show his aggressive style, something that was demonstrated with an impressive Pentakill in the 2021 LPL Spring Finals.

His good performances in this split have given him the opportunity to not only fill part of the void left by Uzi, but now he has the chance to build his own legacy by taking RNG to the top of the League of Legends esports, with huge champion pool and terrifying stats, he has all the tools to do just that.

Cloud9’s Blaber

(Picture: Riot Games)

Brought directly from the LCS of North America, Blaber has earned his place among the best players in the region. Getting his start in the amateur scene and passing through the Academy of the famous squad to which names like Sneaky and Perkz have belonged.

During the 2021 Mid-Season Showdown, the 21-year-old player managed to show just what we can expect in Iceland, being tied first with the highest average gold difference at 15 minutes this year thanks to his aggressive playstyle, which has been crucial for the team's success.

Honourable mentions

A few players we couldn't sleep without mentioning:

• DWG KIA’s Khan (Top Laner)
• MAD Lions’ Elyoya (Jungler)
• Cloud9’s Perkz (Mid Laner)
• paIN Gaming’s brTT (AD Carry)
• Infinity Esports’ Ackerman (Support)

The 2021 Mid-Season Invitational will take place on 5-23rd May. You can watch it live through the official LoL Esports website, as well as the Riot Games’ YouTube and Twitch channels.