TL vs NRG was the first Worlds clash between NA mids in over a decade
Colin Young-Wolff/Riot GamesNorth America has been all about importing mid laners since its inception, with the region’s best teams often having imported players. However, Team Liquid vs NRG at Worlds 2023 marked the first clash of NA mids at Worlds in a decade.
Though North America has its fair share of strong players over the years, many of the players that have topped the LCS have been imported talent.
With mid laners like Jensen and Bjergsen defining the region for so long, native North American mid laners have rarely had a chance to shine. It’s at the point where sending two NA mids to an international event is rare, and seeing them have to fight each other is even rarer.
So rare, in fact, that Eain ‘APA’ Stearns vs Cristian ‘Palafox’ Palafox at Worlds 2023 was the first matchup of NA mids in over a decade, with the last clash being Season 1’s Worlds.
NRG Palafox crushes TL APA in historic NA mid clash
APA seemed like just the shot in the arm Team Liquid needed to put themselves in shape for international competition. When he swapped in for Haeri, the team instantly looked much better put together despite APA’s lack of LCS experience.
And, between him and Palafox, the two looked like some of the strongest mid laners in the region. They both managed to make it to Worlds 2023, with the Swiss Stage’s group draw pitting the two mid laners against each other.
As it turns out, this was the first clash of NA mids since close to League of Legends’ inception. The last time two mid laners from North America fought at a World Championship was all the way back on June 20, 2011 in a matchup between TSM’s Reginald and Epik Gamer’s Salce.
Incredibly crispy low resolution aside, League of Legends was pretty much an entirely different game at this point. And, while NA teams facing each other isn’t overly common due to how often teams from the region speedrun the airport at internationals, it’s still a momentous occasion to see two NA mids fight each other at Worlds 2023.
That said, it’s a shame the match wasn’t close. Though APA gave Faker a run for his money the day prior, he got obliterated by Palafox.
Despite playing the same Syndra vs Orianna matchup he heavily pressured Faker out in the day before, APA wasn’t able to contest Palafox’s Orianna and wound up dying. A lot. He ultimately ended the match with a 0-9-3 slashline, making for arguably the biggest mid gap we’ve seen yet at Worlds 2023.
It’s a bit of an unfortunate end to a hyped-up match that was meant to show there’s still talent in NA, but it also displays just how much of North America’s international history has been defined by imported players.
It remains to be seen if Team Liquid can turn it around in tomorrow’s elimination matchup before it’s too late to pry their way back into Worlds 2023 competition.