T1 Peyz: "Our level of play still isn't where it needs to be"

Following T1's defeat to Gen.G at EWC, Peyz spoke briefly to Sheep Esports about the competition and the upcoming return of the LCK.

Peyz after the loss against Gen.G at EWC 2026. Credit: Lucas Jacque/Sheep Esports

"I wanted to finish the tournament with a victory"

exit the League of Legends tournament at the Esports World Cup through the back door. Defeated by Karmine Corp in the semifinals on Saturday, the reigning three-time world champions fell short once again on Sunday in the third-place match against their longtime rivals, Gen.G.

T1 therefore return home empty-handed from their international campaign and the MSI-EWC stretch. Following the defeat, the team’s AD Carry,

Kim "Peyz" Soo-hwan

, spoke briefly to Sheep Esports about the competition and the upcoming return of the LCK.

What are your first thoughts after the game?

Kim "Peyz" Soo-hwan: “Overall, we kept trading back and forth throughout the game.

How does it feel to play for third place? Would you say the team was as focused as it would have been if this had been the final?

Peyz: Even so, I wanted to finish the tournament with a victory, but during the moments when we had the advantage, I made mistakes myself, and as a team, I don't think we were able to hold on well enough, so I have a lot of regrets.

You have been eliminated by European teams in your last two international tournaments. Has that changed the way you view the region?

Peyz: I've always thought that LEC teams were strong. However, this time, we ended up losing to European teams at both MSI and EWC. While the LEC is certainly a strong region, I also think that our level of play still isn't where it needs to be. That's what's particularly disappointing for us.

You will soon return to the LCK in the Legends Group. Do you feel that your team, in its current state, can be confident heading into the competition?

Peyz: The LCK is about to begin again, and personally, I'm very confident that I'll perform well this time. As a team, I think we need to prepare well, play with confidence, and make sure we perform well in our matches.

You played Sylas as an AD Carry today. It was the first time the champion has been picked in this role in a Tier 1 match. What would you say are Sylas’ strengths when played in this position?

Peyz: I thought Sylas was a very good pick into the draft. It's also a pick I've practiced a lot, so I wanted to bring it out. However, after giving up momentum early on, I think we missed an opportunity in the middle of Game 2, where we needed to continue snowballing the game, and that's something I deeply regret.

Four players of T1 have already played Sylas in their careers, including you. Which one of you would you say is the best on the champion?

Peyz: I consider

Faker (Lee Sang-hyeok)

as the best Sylas player.”