- Summary
- T1 and GenG’s rematch in the MSI 2025 Grand Final yielded similar results to their Upper Bracket Final match, with GenG winning 3-2.
- GenG, the reigning MSI 2024 champions, now own back-to-back titles after securing this year’s championship.
- T1 bows out of the tournament after a valiant last stand, settling for second place and a $300,000 USD prize.
GenG successfully defended their reign with another trophy at the T1 vs GenG MSI 2025 Grand Finals. In a series that went the full distance, GenG emerged as the eventual champions after a dominant Game 5. The team themselves have looked unbeatable long before the tournament started, with a 19-0 win streak in their regular season. They extended this record to 23-0 with a flawless MSI run, capped off with this victory.
Here’s a breakdown of the MSI 2025 Grand Final, in favor of the defending champions.
A Tale of Two Champions
Reigning Worlds ‘24 champions T1 had walked into the tournament with high hopes and nothing to lose. Despite coming in as LCK’s second seed, the road leading up to their qualification was bumpy until the very last games where they showed up in significantly better form. After a rough 3-2 win over CTBC Flying Oysters, they swept Bilibili Gaming before losing to GenG 3-2. They then dropped to the lower bracket and took down LPL #1 AL 3-2—the win that sent them back for the rematch with GenG.
Meanwhile, GenG faced the pressure of defending their MSI title. The LCK titans rode a huge wave of momentum from start to finish. They carried their LCK regular season streak of 19 series wins and continued to stack more during the Bracket Stage. Wins over G2 Esports, AL, and T1 in the Upper Finals brought them to this Grand Final victory against the returning T1.
Series Breakdown
In the battle of champions, the odds were stacked against T1’s favor as they faced GenG’s dominance. They challenged that fiercely by getting to match point first in Game 3, but the response from GenG was merciless. T1, despite drafting promising compositions in Games 4 and 5, ended up annihilated by GenG’s map pressure.
Here’s a breakdown of how the T1 vs GenG MSI 2025 series went:
Game 1
T1 struck first, with Faker showcasing his legendary Orianna play in Game 1. The mid-lane icon delivered a crucial shockwave that turned the tide, helping T1 secure the opening game after 34 minutes of intense action.
Game 2
GenG responded immediately in Game 2, with Kiin’s dominant Sion performance. This pick proved too much for T1’s Camille to handle, and was practically unkillable in the late game after GenG secured Ocean Soul. The tanky top-laner created space for his teammates, evening the series at 1-1.
Game 3
Game 3 saw T1 take control once again. Faker locked in Azir, while Keria made a statement on Renata Glasc—a champion that had gone 0-8 at the tournament before this game. The world’s best support proved why he holds that title, with perfectly timed ultimates that helped T1 secure a commanding 22-2 kill advantage and bring them to match point.
Game 4
Despite the pressure, Gen.G wasn’t ready to surrender their crown. In Game 4, the defending champions showcased their resilience with Ruler’s exceptional Zeri play and Canyon’s clutch Trundle performance. They countered T1’s Jinx hypercarry draft with a similar composition around Zeri. T1, lacking engage and hard tank champions in their draft, could neither get closer to Ruler nor truly protect Gumayusi. This forced the T1 vs GenG MSI 2025 final to Silver Scrapes.
Game 5
The final game epitomized everything great about professional League of Legends. Both teams traded blows in the early stages, but Gen.G gradually gained control. It was Chovy who stepped up massively with his Aurora pick, securing kills for GenG. Meanwhile, Canyon’s Nidalee consistently took key objectives with the help of Duro’s excellent vision control.
After 35 minutes of edge-of-your-seat action, Gen.G destroyed T1’s Nexus, completing their back-to-back MSI championship and extending their incredible 23-game win streak.
What’s Next?
With this victory, Gen.G joins an elite group as only the third team in League of Legends history to win consecutive MSI titles, following SK Telecom T1 and Royal Never Give Up. The triumph also marked Ruler’s second MSI championship, having previously won in 2023 with JD Gaming.
For T1, the loss was particularly painful for Faker, who hasn’t claimed an MSI title since 2017. Despite the disappointment, T1 earned $300,000 as runners-up and proved they remain a force in international competition.
Conclusion
Once again, GenG has proven that they have what it takes to dominate in the international stage. Up against a team of equally formidable international champions, they managed to secure the series and bag another MSI trophy.
The T1 vs GenG MSI 2025 Grand Final had given us a fantastic conclusion to the major tournament. Now, everyone turns their eyes to the EWC 2025 LoL event in Riyadh where T1 are the reigning champions. Can GenG knock them off the fight once more, or will it be T1’s turn to defend their crown?
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