In the decisive match of the play-in stage of Worlds 2021, Beyond Gaming suffered defeat against Hanwha Life Esports. However, 18-year-old AD carry Doggo received much praise from fans and experts alike. In his first appearance at Worlds, Doggo showcased incredible skill and composure. He was the spearhead of BYG’s journey in the tournament in Iceland, and in the match against HLE, despite the South Korean team being more prestigious and Deft being a veteran AD carry, Doggo still had a strong laning phase against his older counterpart.
Doggo’s talent is undeniable, and many are already predicting that after Worlds 2021, Doggo will be one of the hottest names on the transfer market. At just 18 years old, his future is bright, and it will be difficult for BYG to retain their talented AD carry.
Meanwhile, in the VCS, Slayder – former AD carry of Team Secret – posted a notable status: “Watching Doggo play, I see many people saying I should head to LPL or go abroad to be smacked around… So sad… but also funny.”
It can be understood that Slayder’s intention in posting this was simply to express his confidence that he could succeed abroad. In the VCS region, Slayder is also regarded as a talented AD carry and follows the trend of being a carry player. Currently, Slayder is a free agent and has had many rumors about his potential move abroad. In fact, Slayder has been diligently climbing the Korean ranks to seek opportunities in the LPL.
However, beneath the post, many Vietnamese netizens criticized and mocked Slayder. Although these comments may have been hidden by him, the general sentiment was that Slayder was being overly self-satisfied.
However, the majority of comments agreed that Slayder’s confidence is good, and he has proven his caliber in the VCS. As for the opportunity to go abroad or compete in an international environment, Slayder has not had that chance, so it cannot be said that he will fail. With VCS unable to participate in international tournaments for two consecutive years, Slayder’s talent has yet to be proven on the global stage, but that does not mean he will not be able to prove himself if given the opportunity.
Slayder himself has also responded to the mixed comments on his status. He argued that his point was simply that Doggo, being young, has already shown such ability, coming from a region on par with VCS, so there is no reason that VCS players cannot do the same. He strongly stated, “If you demean yourself, you’ll always be behind others.”
In the past, the VCS has often proven its ability whenever given the chance to participate in international tournaments, and many VCS players have had the opportunity to go abroad. Although only SofM has been successful so far, other names like Levi and Noway have returned with elevated perspectives and skills.
Slayder himself is a very talented name in the VCS, an AD carry sought after by many big teams, and he is only 20 years old with a long career ahead. Slayder has also shown his determination and ambition by consistently trying hard in the Korean ranks and has reached Challenger status (currently at 775LP).
The “self-demeaning” comments from a minority in the Vietnamese League of Legends community are not surprising, especially when VCS is viewed as a weak region in the League of Legends scene. However, VCS has repeatedly surprised its international peers, and with the current skill level and unwavering determination, if Slayder or anyone else has the opportunity to go abroad in the future, the world may witness new SofMs and Levis, bringing pride to Vietnamese League of Legends on the international stage.