Team Liquid Impact on the team's form for Worlds: "I think we are a very strong team... not like, some part good, some part bad"

"I expected they're (100 Thieves) gonna be taken out in Play-In Stage"

Coming off his first MVP award win more than a decade into his career, Eon-yeong "Impact" Jung leads an exciting Team Liquid at Worlds 2024.

Having shown a fantastic level of play in the LCS, Team Liquid comes into Worlds as one of North Americas brightest hopes in recent years, even despite their loss to FlyQuest in their most recent finals.

Now, tasked with facing a strong LNG team to start their Swiss Stage journey, Impact will need to make the most of his vast experience to lead his team to some important wins.

Prior to his opening match, however, Impact took the time to talk to Strafe Esports during an exclusive interview in which he discussed his fuel to keep playing, his thoughts on LNG playing with Scout and what he believes are Team Liquid's biggest strengths.

You recently won the LCS MVP at the age of 29, do you think you are breaking boundaries when it comes to age and professional play? Would you say that people in esports often retire earlier than they should?

Oh I, mean I think people can say that someone should retire or something because it's like when they see that how they is play bad they can say that, but to me it's kind of an excuse about like age. Like, if you're older, you cannot play well. Or, if you're older, you need to retire. I think that kind of blocks your limit, you know? Like, it can be, but to me it's kind of excuse because older doesn't matter. If you play well, and you can spend more time, then, yeah, you can play well.

I think, for everything. For everything this makes sense to me. Like job or workout or something, everything. So, older doesn't matter. I don't care what people say. But, when I got MVP, I was thinking oh, I mean, I knew that because I knew that I played well at the regular season. And last season, I did (my) job, you know? So, yeah, that's it.

After such a long time competing, what is it that motivates you to keep playing at the highest level. How is it you find a way to stay consistent at such a high level?

People are always asking me about that, and, I don't know. I feel like I cannot answer very well because I feel like to me it's like, play League, and think of League and how to improve. play better? It's kind of basic. Basic mindset. So, not like, 'oh, I should do. Or, oh, I have to do.' It's not like that. I think when person having born and you enjoy the job or enjoy the something or other, then you don't think 'oh I need to try hard,' or 'I need to do more,' you know? They naturally do that.

So, to me it's just natural doing that, thinking of League of Legends. 'How can I beat them?' Because I love beat the enemy. You know, shit on them. So, I think of that more. To me it's just natural to think that way, so I guess that's how I get passion from that. 

With all of the experience you have on your shoulders, including being a World Champion 11 years ago, do you act as a type of leader to some of the younger players on the team in high-pressure times like these?

I can give some advice, but, otherwise, I feel like they have to win. They have to break the situation. You know? When person getting pressure, you have to escape the situation yourself. Not, like, helping. I mean, you of course, you can help, but if you cannot win that situation, you cannot win ever to that pressure, you know? That's what I think.

Especially UmTi. I think he have to break the situation. When he get pressure too much he cannot play well. If some point he can break the situation, he can play so well, right? So I mean, I'm saying like that but like you know men have to wake up self, you know? So yeah, I hope they can break the situation. That's it.

Scout was allowed to play for LNG nearly last minute. Having drawn them for your opening match, how much of a difference does having to play against Scout as opposed to Yagao make for Team Liquid?

I mean, just simple. Yagao was worse than Scout, right? So, if you have more chance... But now it's Scout play. I mean, I happy that Scout back to play. This is my younger brother, a kind of close friend. But, I mean, we're gonna do out best, you know? Say, doesn't matter who's the enemy. Like, change doesn't matter, because I was thinking 'if we cannot beat this team, we cannot go to quarterfinals, we cannot go to semifinals,' right? Because we have to win these teams for going to high stage game. So, I don't think it that much. 

I mean, maybe for mid perspective maybe different, you know? Maybe APA perspective: 'oh shit, Scout is coming, not Yagao' (laughs) But, not me, you know? 

You said that Scout is like a younger brother to you. Can you talk to me a little bit about your relationship with Scout?

Oh, I mean, he sometimes message me to Facebook, because he was in the SKT, like, practice person, practice player. Like, it's not main roster, but it's like playing for future, like kind of academy player. And, I also hang out with him like one month, and after some time we keep talking and randomly he messaged me like: 'what are you doing?' And I like: 'why you messaging now?' And like: 'I don't know, I'm boring. I'm just talking like this sometimes.' And then sometimes, when we meet in the world we just take dinner or lunch together. 

Team Liquid has played fantastic League of Legends, especially throughout the summer season. You guys showed so much synergy in-game, so I'm curious if you have that kind of synergy outside of the game as well.

I think we are kind of close friends. Especially, like, I can feel that our team want to be more close. I can tell them it's my friend. Last year, kind of someone's friend but someone is not friend, in my opinion, because it's different. I don't know how can I say. But, like, this year I can play this. It's my old bros. Like friends. I can tell them straight word what I want to say. Don't have to care too much about being careful. I like it. I can give feedback easily. Also, they can keep feedback to me easily too, I think. So, yeah, I think our relationship is really good. 

And also, game-wise, I think we are playing fine. I think people too hype to us. I think we are playing good, but not like really good level, in my opinion. Especially this final (LCS Championship). I think we are showing kind of worse performance. That's our goal for this group stage. We need to break the situation. If we play well, like before, then I can say that you guys can get hope from us. You know, after how we play that. So, this week is so important for us. 

I'd like to get your thoughts on what you think are Team Liquid’s biggest strengths coming into Worlds, and how the team can use that to take games from strong international teams.

I think our strength is experience. Like, me and Core(JJ), to how to play like standard game more. Snowball and, like, not make the mistake about moving through map. That's our strength, I think. Also, our carries pretty good about now understand game more. So, if they not give free kill or they play well to team fight or something. I think we are just a strong team. You know? Like, just strong team. Not like, some part good, some part bad. I think just team-wise we are very strong.

Now, just to wrap up, 100 Thieves were eliminated during Play-Ins. What's your takeaway from that? Do you think that that’s a reflection on the level of the LCS as a whole?

I expected they're gonna be taken out in Play-In Stage. I got surprised C9 lost to them. But, still, like, even when they won vs C9 I was thinking that they cannot play on stage how they play the game. Just, they play not like a team, in my opinion. They try to win from individual, but the individual level is not that good than Worlds level. So, I always expect that, like, they're gonna lose. They're not a team. They're just, like, just individually try to play for win, not playing as a team. Or they don't know. But I knew they cannot pass that Play-Ins stage, so I don't care that much.

 

For the latest League of Legends news, follow Strafe Esports. To follow everything on Worlds 2024, check out our full guide. Also, follow the Strafe YouTube channel for exclusive interviews with players and coaches.

Image source: Tom Chansiraphet/Riot Games

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