Legendary professional League of Legends player Jian “Uzi” Zi-Hao retired from the competitive scene earlier this week, citing mounting injuries and poor health. The reactions have poured in from across esports, but one of the most impactful takes on the move came from Faker today.
T1’s mid laner is widely considered the best player to ever play League, and in a show of respect, he recorded a video message documenting his thoughts on Uzi hanging up the mouse and keyboard. Faker made it clear that he thought Uzi was an incredible player, and one he is going to miss competing against.
“When I heard the news of Uzi’s retirement, speaking for myself, he’s been an excellent player who’s competed against me on the same stage for so many years,” Faker said. “And at the same time, he’s also an extremely popular Chinese player. So when I heard the news of his retirement, I was actually reluctant to believe it. Uzi has always worked very hard, so it’s a great pity that he’s now retired.”
The two have often been compared to each other, with many considering them as the top two players in League history in terms of overall skill and legacy.
Both players joined the competitive scene around the same time, starting their careers around 2012. It makes a lot of sense that two players who have been at the top of the game for so long hold each other in high regard.
“My heart feels rather heavy when I think about that,” Faker said. “Although Uzi’s career has ended, I believe that from now on he’ll grow very well in the days to come. I hope Uzi’s fans can always continue to support him. Uzi fighting!”
