Worlds 2026 - Meet the players: AD Carry (4/5)

No role in League of Legends punishes hesitation quite like the botlane, especially when international elimination hangs in the balance. With Worlds 2026 just days away, the world's elite AD Carries face an unforgiving test of nerve and positioning, where a single misstep can shatter months of preparation.

From decorated world champions defending their pedigree to ambitious domestic kings hungry for international validation, 19 marksmen step onto the global stage with everything to prove.

Four players in the tournament have already lifted the Summoner's Cup and understand the exact weight of competing at the highest level. Three-time reigning world champion Lee "Gumayusi" Min-hyeong enters the tournament under the Hanwha Life Esports banner after a grueling domestic season. While his individual numbers have fluctuated alongside HLE's turbulent campaign, his ability to deliver on the biggest stages remains undisputed, with his 86.7% win-rate Caitlyn standing out as one of the team's most reliable weapons in draft.

Meanwhile, the 2017 world champion, Park "Ruler" Jae-hyuk, anchors Gen.G with his trademark consistency. Having won his fourth LCK title, the 27-year-old veteran remains one of the event's standout former world champions with a 5.39 KDA, driven largely by a lethal form on Jhin, where he boasts an 83.3% win rate across 18 games.

Joining them is Park "Viper" Do-hyeon, who immediately established himself as Bilibili Gaming's primary carry following his move from Hanwha Life Esports, enduring a grueling 177-game marathon this season. The 2021 world champion demonstrated one of the tournament's deepest champion pools with 26 unique picks, sustaining an elite 5.44 KDA across that massive sample size. Rounding out this tier is Yu "JackeyLove" Wen-Bo of Top Esports. The 2018 champion continues to embrace a high-risk, relentless laning playstyle, generating an imposing 811 damage per minute regardless of the series' pace or state of the map.

Behind the former champions sits a tier of world-class marksmen who have conquered their domestic regions but are still searching for their first World Championship ring. Leading this pack is Kim "Peyz" Su-hwan, who steps onto the Worlds stage in T1 colors following a standout year. Operating as his team's primary offensive engine, the 20-year-old boasts the highest early gold differential among botlaners (+545 at 15 minutes) alongside an imposing 849 damage per minute.

His LPL counterpart, Wang "Hope" Jie, arrives with Anyone's Legend after enjoying arguably the finest season of his career, underscored by a massive +346 gold lead at 15 minutes and an outrageous 27 peak KDA on Jinx.

For Steven "Hans Sama" Liv, Worlds marks the continuation of an utterly dominant domestic campaign with G2 Esports. The French veteran helped complete a local "Golden Road" by capturing all three LEC titles this season, consistently setting the pace through pristine wave management and relentless early laning pressure. Meanwhile, Kim "Berserker" Min-cheol spearheaded LYON's run to the international stage off the back of remarkable individual form. Pairing an elite 5.11 KDA with an aggressive 18.0% First Blood participation rate, the Korean marksman proved he possesses the raw firepower to challenge the world's best on any given day.

Sean "Yeon" Sung leads North American first seed Team Liquid into Worlds after capturing the LCS championship trophy. The 25-year-old marksman delivered a composed 101-game season, adapting cleanly to shifting botlane metas by pairing a steady 4.51 KDA with high execution on AP picks like Ziggs, where he recorded a peak 32 KDA. Returning alongside him from the LCS, Edward "Tactical" Ra helped guide Cloud9 back to the global stage, relying on heavy lane aggression and an 18.6% First Blood rate to create early momentum.

Chiu "Doggo" Tzu-chuan arrives as the focal point for CTBC Flying Oyster. Back on the international stage, the Taiwanese marksman showcased remarkable flexibility by fielding 27 unique champions across the season, while retaining his trademark fearlessness in chaotic late-game teamfights. In Europe, David "Supa" Martínez García returns to the international stage with Movistar KOI. Despite his team's inconsistent form throughout the year, the Spanish marksman remained a reliable anchor across a grueling 112-game season, pairing a steady 4.05 KDA with high damage output in late-game teamfights.

Worlds 2026 marks the first major international test for three of the scene's most talked-about prospects. Shin "Smash" Geun-jae went from T1's academy system - where he briefly subbed in for Gumayusi last year - to a centerpiece for Dplus KIA. Stepping into the starting lineup, the 20-year-old immediately proved his caliber by helping DK capture the Esports World Cup title, establishing himself as a proven winner before even making his Worlds debut.

Equally anticipated is Caliste "Caliste" Henry-Hennebert making his first-ever appearance at Worlds. While Karmine Corp's franchise marksman already has international games under his belt, the World Championship stage presents a far steeper test: proving that his relentless laning aggression can hold up against the premier duos in the scene. Rounding out the most-anticipated debutants, Zi "JiaQi" Jia-Qi enters the tournament representing Invictus Gaming. While competing alongside iconic world champions puts considerable pressure on the young carry, JiaQi has managed to hold his own in teamfights, averaging over 800 damage per minute across his 114 games in the LPL.

Rounding out the lower seeds are the underdogs, more than capable of punishing any team that overlooks them. Hoang "Eddie" Cong Nghia arrives following a clean sweep of the Asia-Pacific region, having captured all three LCP titles (Splits 1, 2, and 3) alongside Team Secret Whales. Holding an imposing 5.72 KDA heading into the tournament, the Vietnamese marksman enters the Play-In stage as a legitimate threat to major-region rosters.

In Brazil, 18-year-old Wallison "Duduhh" Francisco made a notable impression for LØS. The young marksman drew attention through his deep champion pool and bold laning attitude, showing no hesitation to step up in high-pressure games. Alongside him is compatriot Andrey "Ayu" Saraiva, who already brings international experience from his time with FURIA and operates comfortably as a steady secondary carry. Finally, Nguyen "Harky" Van Huu makes his debut with MVK Esports. While the stage presents a daunting test for the Vietnamese rookie, his team's willingness to turn to unorthodox botlane setups gives them genuine upset potential.