TL;DR
- Tian dominated the jungle matchup against Jankos throughout the 2019 Worlds finals
- His early game invasions and map control established FPX’s winning momentum
- The 19-year-old proved himself against elite junglers despite limited experience
- Tian’s smart, anticipatory playstyle complemented FPX’s team-oriented approach
- The MVP award significantly increased his market value with contract through 2021
Gao “Tian” Tian-Liang, the exceptional jungler for FunPlus Phoenix, secured the prestigious 2019 League of Legends World Championship finals MVP award through his dominant performance. This achievement marked him as one of the youngest players to receive this honor in esports history.
Throughout the championship series, Tian demonstrated clear superiority over his counterpart Marcin “Jankos” Jankowski. He established this dominance immediately in the opening game with a calculated invasion strategy that initiated FunPlus Phoenix’s snowball effect toward their ultimate victory.
This pattern continued consistently across the entire series, as Tian systematically created advantages for his team while orchestrating successful plays across all areas of the map.
Tian wins the World Championship MVP
The 19-year-old jungler had previously earned recognition through his selection to the LPL All-Pro team during the summer season, positioning himself as a primary jungler to monitor throughout the Worlds tournament.
Tian represents the archetype of proactive jungler capable of creating game-changing opportunities for his squad. FunPlus Phoenix strategically enables this playstyle by providing comprehensive support throughout matches to ensure his late-game strength and impact.
Common mistake: Many junglers attempt early invades without proper team coordination, often resulting in disastrous consequences. Tian’s success stemmed from precise communication and timing with his teammates.
Tian joined FunPlus Phoenix preceding the 2019 Spring season after serving as substitute jungler for Suning, partnering with mid laner Kim “Doinb” Tae-sang. This dynamic duo formed the foundational core of the roster and established FunPlus as a legitimate competitive force.
Practical tip: For aspiring junglers, focus on developing strong synergy with your mid laner first, as this relationship often determines early game success.
Within domestic competitions, Tian has built his reputation around intelligent and highly efficient gameplay. Despite possessing less professional experience compared to other tournament junglers, Tian convincingly demonstrated his capability to compete at the highest level against world-class opponents.
Optimization strategy: Advanced players should study Tian’s pathing efficiency – he consistently maximizes gold and experience gain while maintaining map pressure.
During the World Championship, Tian delivered consistently strong performances from the group stages through the finals. The emerging talent faced established elite junglers including Mads “Broxah” Brock-Pedersen, Gao “Ning” Zhen-Ning, and Andrei “Xerxe” Dragomir.
Despite confronting challenging theoretical matchups, the jungler demonstrated exceptional ability to predict opponent movements, consistently positioning himself for successful engagements and objective control.
Securing both the World Championship title and MVP recognition at such a young age represents not only an extraordinary accomplishment but also substantially enhances Tian’s value as a professional player.
While Tian remains under contract with FunPlus Phoenix through 2021, it would not be surprising if the organization receives substantial transfer offers for his services.
Time estimate: Players looking to reach similar skill levels should anticipate 2-3 years of dedicated practice focusing on map awareness and decision-making.
For those mastering jungle fundamentals, our Class Guide provides essential framework for role mastery.
Action Checklist
- Analyze Tian’s early game invasion timing and pathing decisions
- Practice mid-jungle coordination with a dedicated partner
- Study opponent movement prediction through VOD review
- Implement efficient clearing patterns while maintaining map pressure
- Develop late-game teamfight positioning and engagement timing
No reproduction without permission：Games Guides Website » FunPlus Phoenix’s Tian wins LoL World Championship MVP Analyzing Tian's MVP performance and strategic impact on FunPlus Phoenix's 2019 Worlds victory