#3 - Mata

Riot·Sep 16, 2014·0 votes·79,651 views

As part of our Countdown to Worlds, we celebrate the Top 20 players of the World Championship.

#3 - Mata

Team - Samsung Galaxy White Region - Korea Position - Support Signature Champions

As a rookie, Mata took control of a stagnant MVP Ozone (now Samsung White) team and led them to one of the greatest Cinderella runs in League of Legends history, winning Champions Spring 2013. With his boisterous shot-calling and impeccable vision control, Mata isn’t only one of the best supports in the world -- he’s one of the best leaders, too. Since Mata has taken over the starting support role for Samsung White, the team has made it to the semifinals of Champions five seasons in a row. Consistency is Mata’s greatest strength, controlling his team under his superb game management and leading them deep in every tournament he has ever been apart of - except one. The 2013 World Championship was the worst tournament in Mata’s career. His team failed to get out of the Group stage and didn't deliver on lofty expectations after a strong 2013 season. Now, back with long-time partner Imp in the bottom lane, Mata eyes redemption not only for himself but the entire Samsung White team. Aggressive in lane and a hawkeye when it comes to wards, Mata is the orchestrator of a team heavily favorited to win Worlds. Check out the other players on the list! Who do you think is #2 on our list of the 20 greatest players at #Worlds? Tweet @lolesports or comment below to let us know!

51 Comments

NIMA ZHALEMEISep 16, 201424 votes

Seriously riot, this is the best clip of Mata u can get? Really..??

warpedmindSep 16, 20142 votes

thought exactly the same !

BornTooWinSep 16, 20143 votes

INB4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAj4_pLVupI at worlds!

RiotMirhiSep 16, 20149 votes

Sorry, I thought it was clever, but I must be alone. Hope the replacement is now better. :)

Mata is truly the greatest support.

NIMA ZHALEMEISep 16, 20141 votes

yea it was a funny little one, but it did not represent Mata as a world class support at all.

RaymoondoSep 16, 20141 votes

What was the original clip?

slipstreemSep 17, 20141 votes

What the heck is going on 41 seconds into the clip with all those super minions? Did they have a game mode we didn't get in NA?

llamasxSep 17, 20141 votes

They're melee minions, some visual bug I imagine

ZerobyDividedSep 17, 20142 votes

that video was pretty bad, he missed a hook on lulu top like waaay off( madlife would have landed that) then the terrible flay on the k6 jumping in to kill elise( madlife would have landed that) and then the flash flay and missing the hook on kogmaw and paying for it with his life. (madlife would have landed that)

DanteLovesPizzaSep 17, 20143 votes

To be honest, MadLife has fallen off pretty badly in Season 4 in my opinion. Back in Season 3, when it was still unlimited wards, MadLife was good because he warded really well, but even so, Mata was practically on par with him in that aspect, but in terms of play, I can't agree, Mata has always been better in my opinion, and has continued to do well in Season 4, MadLife kind of lost it. The MadLife "standard" is pretty much a residue of his best days now, just like the Faker "standard" is for mid right now. Anyone who has been up to date with OGN will see that Faker has been severely under-performing in Season 4 compared to Season 3, not saying he's bad, but he's definitely not doing his best, yet everyone is still calling him the best, and that it's SKT K as a team that's dragging him down, when in fact he has lost plenty of 1v1s during laning to those he easily beat back in Season 3, the same is with MadLife, people are comparing others to the first person who became "legendary" at a particular role in their best days. All I'm saying is, MadLife is no longer as good as he was during Season 3, personally, I just think he didn't adapt too well to Season 4.

NinjaChewieSep 17, 20144 votes

Agree with the majority of the points about Madlife, but to say Faker is "severely-underperforming" is just wrong. Sure his team isn't steamrolling like last season, but Faker is still the real deal. The circlejerk around him is for good reason; he is truly the best player in the world.

DanteLovesPizzaOct 14, 20141 votes

Nah, if you watch Faker's 2013 plays compared to his 2014 plays, to say he is severely under-performing is not an exaggeration. Back in 2013, he was THE undefeated, he might have lost the rare 1 vs 1 fight, but it was rare, and he'd usually win the following one after that. Now? He just isn't the same, a number of players can beat him consistently, like PawN, and honest to my heart, even being a SSW fan, PawN is not the best mid laner, he's consistent, he's good, but he's not the type to make crazy plays and come backs in fights. Faker back in his 2013 days would've had no problems.

HuldrafolkSep 16, 20149 votes

Mata + Imp = Best botline.

warpedmindSep 16, 20145 votes

but imp is such a dick as i recently found out. dropped from my favourite to my worst :(

12talesSep 17, 201410 votes

I like the trashtalk, personally. I always look forward to White vs. K matchups, mostly because I know Piglet and Imp are gonna be going at each other constantly before the game.

Dunno if the persona is actually a representation of his real-life personality, but it's pretty entertaining.

SKT GODVSep 16, 20149 votes

cool 2 Dade 1

justinmaxiSep 16, 201411 votes

2-Dade 1-Cool

DeiderrarSep 17, 20142 votes

when its one of these then they forgot one of the best mid laner in the world in their top 20.....because for me Pawn is at least as strong as Dade and Cool

Melancholy BearSep 23, 20141 votes

agree with you

romeowiiSep 16, 20148 votes

2 Cool; 1 Dade

KemySep 16, 20148 votes

Top 3 mid laners at World possibly. Dade, Pawn, Cool and one of them is going to be left out on this list. Riot?

12talesSep 17, 20146 votes

Yeah, they kinda listed themselves into a corner. No matter who they leave out (I'm predicting Pawn), they're going to have to contend with the fact that they're rating XiaoWeiXiao above him.

justinmaxiSep 17, 20141 votes

Pawn has 3 guys more important for the team, Cool carried the team into Worlds.

12talesSep 17, 20144 votes

I agree that Cool should be above Pawn.

I don't agree that Clearlove, Sneaky and XiaoWeiXiao should be above Pawn.

GrishkoSep 17, 20141 votes

Cool will be left out because of all the Korean fanboys...

TarkamacskaSep 16, 20147 votes

I just dont know who will be the 2nd one. The number 1 is Dade.

PhadafiSep 16, 20143 votes

I think it is Cool from OMG... however PawN is overrated as fuck, so it could be him...

humpSep 16, 20148 votes

lol PawN is far from overrated

KemySep 16, 20146 votes

PawN 1. Dade

Pada1Sep 16, 20146 votes

2 dade 1 cool imo. cool = faker but since faker no at worlds, cool deserves no.1

PhysicsKushSep 16, 20145 votes

at least put 2 clips, we want to see a outplay clip..

MG LogicSep 17, 20145 votes

cool #1 rito pls

CU3Sep 16, 20142 votes

i know who will be 1st fking xpeke....idk why all people love's him so much because of that backdoor...really nice move but that 2 year's ago

SpudMurphySep 16, 20142 votes

I´ve heard he looks good as well. so the ladies and some guys might cheer for him because of that. Maybe we have to think about the criteria...

KHsuehSep 17, 20142 votes

I can bet #2 is Cool and #1 is dade

RATMpattaSep 17, 20142 votes

I'm pretty sure it'll be 1. Dade and 2. Pawn

Cool should have been on the list for sure, he should at the very least have replaced XiaoWeiXiao. I'm fairly sure though that they won't leave Pawn off the list. Pawn would also be more believable as #2 than Cool.

Dade is just the best mid in the world and that pretty much means best player in the world.

justinmaxiSep 17, 20141 votes

COOL FIRST, HOW DOES IT FEEL? OMG IS AT WORLDS THANKS TO HIS SOLO CARRYING