Top 10 Best Mid Laners in LoL History

The mid lane is the perfect place for the flashiest players to showcase their mechanical skill and individual talent. In the history of League of Legends, mid laners are often regarded as the best players in the team, aside from a few exceptions. Even though you already know that Faker is already going to make it to the top of this list, it’s time for us to reveal who we think are the 9 other best mid laners in history. Do you have some players that you have in mind that might make it into this list?

ThyShy, Doinb, Caps, and Faker featured in the Worlds 2019 teaser
Who are the best mid laners in the world?

The Best Mid Laners in the World

We’ll be taking some of the most prominent mid laners from across the world in different regions during different eras in League of Legends. The best mid laners in the world should not only be prominent but also dominant during their peak. Their contribution to the growth of League of Legends will be the biggest factor since these players are most likely the players that have inspired newer players in today’s time to pursue mid lane for themselves.

10. Alex Ich

Alex Ich was European superstar mid laner than played for Moscow 5, later absorbed by Gambit Gaming. During the early stages of the game, Alex Ich was one of the best mid laners in the world and was establishing greatness for the European teams. He won several titles in the Intel Extreme Master series while he was in M5 and Gambit. He began being one of the pride of the EU LCS during its early days.

Alex Ich playing a game of League of Legends
The European Master
  • Region: EU LCS
  • Years Active: 2010-2017
  • Teams Associated: Moscow 5, Gambit Gaming
  • Career Peak: 2012
  • Biggest Achievement: Intel Internation Masters VII – Champion

Alex was heavily associated with Diamondprox, another great name in the history of EU. League of Legends never had a better non-bottom lane duo than with the teamwork that these two displayed on the rift. While his career extended up until 2017, he slowly lost prominence as early as 2014. Even though his title as EU’s best didn’t last very long, he still manages to make the conversation when you ask European fans about who they consider being the best mid laner in EU history.

9. Misaya

Misaya is another short-lived icon in the competitive League of Legends scene. He paved the way for Chinese League of Legends and managed to put the region on the map alongside his teammates in Team WE. Since Misaya had experience playing MOBA games before like DotA, he managed to display one of the most impressive performances in the mid lane during the early stages of the game within the region. During that time, there were already a lot of great players in the LPL but his name stood out the most.

WE's Misaya staring at his screen
The LPL’s Original
  • Region: LPL
  • Years Active: 2011-2013
  • Teams Associated: Team WE
  • Career Peak: 2013
  • Biggest Achievement: Intel Internation Masters Season 8 – Champion

Misaya’s career as a pro-gamer didn’t last since he had already been playing in esports for a long time even before his League of Legends days. Regardless of the length of his career, Misaya was an icon among the people. Long after he retired, fans still mention his names and remained as a public figure for Chinese League of Legends. At the time of his prominence, no one wanted to play against Team WE, not even players from his own region.

8. xPeke

xPeke is not only an icon in European League of Legends, but also for the entire world. xPeke was a mid laner for Fnatic and was the first mid laner to ever win the League of Legends World Championships back in Season 1. He is known as the backdoor king which is brought about by one of his Most Iconic Moments – the game-winning backdoor against SK Gaming using his Kassadin to seal the deal and earn them another title.

xPeke smiling at the camera, wearing his origen uniform
The King of Backdoors
  • Region: EU LCS
  • Years Active: 2010-2014
  • Teams Associated: Fnatic
  • Career Peak: 2012
  • Biggest Achievement: Season 1 World Championships – Champions

xPeke later on decided to retire from pro-play to pursue his dream of making his own League of Legends team – Origen. He began playing as a substitute for the team whenever they needed it but was officially just the owner of the team. No one will ever forget the moment that xPeke put the world at the edge of their seats in an exciting battle for the Nexus. Even today, there are still people using the term “xPeke” to refer to a miraculous backdoor victory.

7. Doinb

Doinb was called the “Worst Mid Laner” in the tournament that he won with his team. His style of playing in the mid lane was considered erratic and was full of strategies and tactics that most analysts and pros would say was the wrong way to play the game. However, it was because of Doinb’s unique playstyle that the rough group of FunPlus Phoenix seemed like an unstoppable force during the Worlds 2019 Word Championships.

Doinb Standing Over the Stadium
The Best Worst Mid Laner
  • Region: LPL
  • Years Active: 2015-Present
  • Teams Associated: FunPlus Phoenix
  • Career Peak: 2019
  • Biggest Achievement: Worlds 2019 – Champions

Doinb was a revolutionary that introduced a new way to play the mid lane and proved that there is no wrong way to play the lane. His heavy roaming style and unusual mid lane champion pool became the gold standard for mid lanes for a while. Even though the meta has shifted against him for the time being, he has remained an icon for the LPL. He is a beloved personality and a great team leader. He’s also hilarious on stream.

6. Perkz

Perkz has recently made a return to the mid lane after role-swapping to the bottom lane for the past 2 years. Before he became an AD Carry, Perkz was considered to be the best mid laner in Europem so much so that even the LEC casters would spend the entire match only talking about him and praising him without mentioning any other player (this is an exaggeration btw). Up until his move to the LCS, he was one of Europe’s top stars.

G2 Perkz scratching his head
G2’s Original Mid Laner
  • Region: LEC
  • Years Active: 2014-Present
  • Teams Associated: G2 Esports
  • Career Peak: 2016
  • Biggest Achievement (as a mid laner): Worlds 2018 – Semifinalist

Perkz is a controversial case and is still considered as one of the most valuable players in Europe. His switch to the LCS has left a lot of fans heartbroken but it made for the sake of going back to the mid lane. After 2 years of playing ADC, he finally decided that only has one calling as a League of Legends players which he followed through with. Whether he’ll be able regain a name for himself as a mid laner in the US is up to him.

5. Bjergsen

Bjergsen has the most impressive career in the history of the LCS. He is the one and only name that has echoed throughout all of the ages in North American League of Legends in the mid lane. When it comes to career peaks, he is definitely at the top when it comes to individual performance. When it comes to determining who the best mid laner, or even player the LCS has ever had, Bjergen’s career definitely proves that he’s unparalelled.

Bjergsen with a full beard, staring into space
The Unkillable Danish King?
  • Region: LCS
  • Years Active: 2012-2020
  • Teams Associated: Team SoloMid
  • Career Peak: 2014
  • Biggest Achievement: Worlds 2014 – Quarterfinalist

Bjergsen may have never made it past the quarterfinals of Worlds but it’s undisputed that he’s one of the greats in the mid lane. As a player, he’s very focused and is consistent in his performance up until his retirement in 2020. Despite TSM making several roster changes throughout his time with them, he managed to lead the team towards a favorable standing every single time. Right now, he’s taken the role of coach and will hopefully lead the new generation of NA players towards a better future.

4. Caps

Caps is probably the best player that Europe has ever produced in the time that it has existed. Ever since Caps managed to establish himself in the LEC following an exceptional run with Fnatic in his final year there, Caps has always made it on the Top 5 best players list on analysts tables. He’s even earned the nickname “Baby Faker” by the European community because of his exceptional talent as a mid laner.

Caps wearing a crown and looking down the camera
Baby Faker
  • Region: LEC
  • Years Active: 2015-Present
  • Teams Associated: G2 Esports
  • Career Peak: 2019
  • Biggest Achievement: Mid-Season Invitation 2019 – Champion (Worlds 2018 & 2019 Runner-up)

The only thing keeping Caps right now from being one of the Top 3 players on this list is World Championship Trophy. Despite Caps playing in two of Europe’s superteams, he still hasn’t been able to secure the biggest title in League of Legends. That doesn’t mean that Caps isn’t worthy of being one of the best mid laners in the world, it just means that he’s on the way to making history by reclaiming the trophy for Europe in the near future.

3. Rookie

Rookie has made a name for himself as China’s best mid laner. Even though, Invictus Gaming has had some difficulties in the past few years, Rookie has remained a consistent player and strong individual in the LPL. The LPL is one of the most competitive regions, having over 16 teams where the top half’s skill levels are close to each other. Having won the LPL’s first-ever World Championship trophy, he is one of the region’s most popular players.

Rookie and Jackeylove playing together
The LPL’s Miracle Child
  • Region: LPL
  • Years Active: 2013-Present
  • Teams Associated: Invictus Gaming
  • Career Peak: 2018
  • Biggest Achievement: Worlds 2018 – Champion

Rookie doesn’t have a flashy rise to the top but his skills are definitely one of the best in history. During Invictus Gaming’s tough season in 2020, Rookie was able to carry the entire team on his back for the entirety of the Spring and Summer Season. The rising names that come and go throughout the history of the LPL will never be able to compare to the achievements that Invictus Gaming has showcased with Rookie at the helm.

2. PawN

PawN is has the second most impressive history among all mid-laners by managing to bring home trophies for two separate teams – Samsung White and Edward Gaming. During his time, PawN had such a dominant showing that he managed to show off for two straight years and claim the throne for his own. During the 2015 season, PawN and the rest of EDG were invincible and every other team knew that fact and accepted it.

PawN wearing an EDG outfit while playing
Victorious and Feared
  • Region: LCK, LPL
  • Years Active: 2013-Present
  • Teams Associated: Samsung White, Edward Gaming
  • Career Peak: 2014-2015
  • Biggest Achievement: Worlds 2014 – Champion

PawN and EDG were so strong that two of the region’s best teams had to risk disqualification to prevent themselves from being bracketed into them so that they’d at least have a better chance of securing 2nd place. This event was called Oscar Night because of the lousy acting that two teams made just to intentionally lose the game. PawN managed to win the World Championships while he was with Samsung White, then proceed to win the MSI the following year.

1. Faker

We thought everything we could to mix things up and come up with an idea so that Faker won’t be number 1 again but realized that it’s completely impossible to do that. Faker’s career is undisputable as he stands on top of the best mid laners in the world. Unless another mid laner wins 3 World Champions and makes 4 World Finals appearances, it doesn’t look like Faker will be going down the standings anytime soon.

Faker animated into the Take Over Worlds SOng best mid laners
The one and only Unkillable Demon King
  • Region: LCK
  • Years Active: 2013-Present
  • Teams Associated: SKT, T1
  • Career Peak: 2013
  • Biggest Achievement: 3-Time World Champion (1x Successful Title Defense)

Korea has always been the gold standard for having the best mid laners in the world and Faker is the pinnacle of the region’s identity. Faker is an icon not only in the mid lane, Korea, or League of Legends, but also to esports itself. There is no argument that would topple down the claim that he’ll be League of Legends greatest player when he’s literally surrounded by trophies to back up this claim. But I guess you already expected all of this anyway.

Who is the best mid laner in League of Legends history?

Faker is widely considered the best mid laner in history due to his exceptional in-game mechanics and talent as a player. He also has 3 World Championship trophies to back him up.

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