TL;DR
- Wunder, Impact, and Ssumday lead the elite tier with proven international success and versatile champion pools
- Licorice and Finn anchor the second tier while mentoring emerging talents like Fudge and HiRit
- Huni and Revenge represent high-variance players with significant rebound potential
- Top lane meta emphasizes both island play and team coordination capabilities
- Rookie development paths vary significantly between established veterans and new league entrants

As competitive League of Legends enters its 2021 season, both the LEC and LCS have established distinctive meta environments that place unprecedented importance on top lane impact. The Lock In tournament and early split performances reveal critical patterns in how elite players dominate their roles.
Role-specific rankings have become essential analytical tools for understanding team dynamics, with top lane emerging as the most strategically flexible position. This year’s champion diversity enables multiple playstyles, from split-push specialists to teamfight anchors, creating complex evaluation criteria beyond simple KDA statistics.
Wunder, Impact, Ssumday among best top laners
The absolute peak of top lane execution combines mechanical precision with deep game understanding. These exceptional performers demonstrate consistent ability to excel both with intensive jungle attention and when completely isolated, adapting their approach based on team needs and opponent strategies.
Within the LEC ecosystem, veteran mastery defines the upper echelon. Andrei “Odoamne” Pascu brings years of strategic wisdom, while Martin “Wunder” Nordahl continues to showcase innovative champion selections. Fnatic’s Gabriël “Bwipo” Rau, while possessing less competitive tenure than his counterparts, compensates with remarkable versatility and proven tournament achievements that validate his elite status.
The LCS landscape features established stars who have maintained world-class form across multiple seasons. Jeong “Impact” Eon-young and Kim “Ssumday” Chan-ho deliver not just consistent performances but genuine carry potential that can single-handedly shift game outcomes. Barney “Alphari” Morris deserves particular attention for his exceptional laning statistics last season, achieving remarkable numbers despite playing on a bottom-tier team roster.
Veterans Licorice, Finn hold off new players
The secondary tier encompasses highly skilled professionals who demonstrate consistent competence but lack the dominant international presence of their elite counterparts. These players frequently contribute game-winning performances and possess tournament experience, yet haven’t consistently reached the highest competitive levels.
Among established performers in both major Western leagues, Eric “Licorice” Ritchie and Finn “Finn” Wiestål establish reliable foundations for their teams through calculated risk-taking and measured aggression.
The most promising development within this category involves emerging talents beginning their professional journeys with impressive early showings. Prospects like Felix “Kryze” Hellström, Shin “HiRit” Tae-min and Ibrahim “Fudge” Allami represent the future of their regions, displaying rapid adaptation to competitive pressures and evolving meta demands.
Players approaching this skill threshold remain valuable assets to their organizations, though they may exhibit lower performance ceilings than top-tier competitors. Their reliability and recent form stability make them solid rotational pieces or developmental anchors.
Rookie integration patterns reveal fascinating developmental pathways. Newcomers such as Aiden “Niles” Tidwell, Aaron “FakeGod” Lee and Mathias “Szygenda” Jensen exemplify the modern entry-level professional, while slightly more experienced players like İrfan Berk “Armut” Tükek and Janik “Jenax” Bartels provide bridge figures between experience levels.
Huni and Revenge look to rebound in 2021 LCS
The final classification tier contains the fewest occupants, reflecting the overall depth of talent in contemporary top lane pools across major regions. These players typically provide baseline functionality for their squads but struggle with consistency compared to league peers.
Two prominent names requiring significant improvement are Heo “Huni” Seung-hoon and Mohamed “Revenge” Kaddoura. Both exhibit volatility in their performances, capable of either carrying matches decisively or becoming liability points, with Huni bringing greater historical achievement despite current challenges.
Matti “WhiteKnight” Sormunen completes this category as a versatile competitor who has experimented with multiple roles throughout his career. His current top lane adaptation presents development opportunities despite early struggles with Astralis.
Understanding top lane hierarchy requires analyzing multiple performance dimensions beyond basic statistics. The most successful organizations balance immediate competitive needs with long-term talent development strategies.
Champion pool breadth remains critically important in the current meta. Players who can comfortably transition between tanks, bruisers, and carry champions provide their teams with crucial draft flexibility and adaptive gameplay options.
Team synergy considerations often determine top lane effectiveness more than individual skill alone. The ability to coordinate with junglers for objective control while managing wave states independently separates elite performers from competent ones.
International tournament experience continues to serve as a reliable predictor of top lane success. Exposure to diverse playstyles and high-pressure situations accelerates development and reveals true competitive caliber.
For players looking to improve their top lane skills, studying these professional approaches provides valuable learning opportunities. Our Class Guide offers additional strategic frameworks for role mastery and team contribution optimization.
Action Checklist
- Analyze champion pool diversity and identify 2-3 meta picks to master thoroughly
- Study elite player VODs focusing on wave management and jungle coordination timing
- Practice both strong-side and weak-side playstyles to develop versatility
- Review our Complete Guide for additional strategic frameworks
- Implement targeted improvement based on specific tier weaknesses identified in analysis
No reproduction without permission:Game Guides Online » Ranking all of the best top laners in the LCS and LEC Comprehensive analysis of top lane talent across LEC and LCS with strategic insights and player development guidance
