Saint Dreams of Swapping Jerseys with Faker: 'I Want to Face LCK Mids and Absorb Their Strengths'
For many professional players, reaching the world stage is a matter of time. For Saint (Kang Seong-in), the mid laner for LYON in the LCS, that moment has arrived. On the eve of the Worlds 2026 Swiss Stage, he shared that participating in the championship feels surreal, transforming him from a dedicated viewer into a competitor standing face-to-face with the world's elite.
From Fan to Professional
For Saint, qualifying for the World Championship is more than just a professional milestone; it is a personal one. He admitted that just two years ago, he couldn't even imagine himself on this stage. Now, his primary motivation is the opportunity to meet the players he once studied through VODs. His list of targets includes LCK legends like Faker (Lee Sang-hyeok) and Chovy (Jeong Ji-hoon), as well as prominent names from the LPL like Shanks, Creme, and knight.
Although Saint earned LCS All-Pro First Team honors this season alongside Berserker (Kim Min-seong)—forming one of the league's most potent damage-dealing duos—the season ended without a title after a loss to Team Liquid in the Summer Finals. However, that defeat provided a crucial lesson. According to the mid laner, the team realized they had become too reliant on their jungler and had occasionally played too passively. Through intensive scrims, LYON has worked to correct this, moving away from what they described as playing like "NPCs".
The Home Tournament Challenge
With Worlds 2026 taking place in North America, Saint noted that home support is a "double-edged sword." While the fans provide energy, there is a fear of backlash if the team fails to meet expectations. Nevertheless, the goal remains clear: winning the championship. Following the unexpected third-place finish for North America at MSI, Saint aims to surprise fans once again by pushing for the title.
LYON faces a critical opening match in the Swiss Stage against Team Secret Whales (TSW). Despite a decisive victory over them at MSI, Saint remains cautious about the best-of-one (BO1) format. He emphasized that aggressive teams can be particularly dangerous in BO1s and noted that the team is carefully analyzing their opponents' tendencies to prepare for this must-win match.
Seeking Perfection
Saint’s personal ambition for this tournament is to face and defeat as many Korean mid laners as possible. He expressed a specific wish to swap jerseys with Faker if given the chance. For him, the tournament is an opportunity to absorb the strengths of the best in the world. "I want to face as many Korean mid laners as possible and defeat them. Through that process, I will absorb their strengths as well," he said, noting his significant growth since his time with First Stand.
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