If you were around the LCS scene back in 2014, you remember the hype. This skinny kid from Denmark, Søren Bjerg, better known as Bjergsen, showed up and basically broke the league. He wasn't just good. He was a problem. In his first game with TSM, he got a penta kill on LeBlanc against Counter Logic Gaming. It was a statement. For the next decade, League of Legends Bjergsen became the gold standard for what a professional mid laner should look like in North America.
Then, in April 2023, he just... stopped. No massive farewell tour. No year-long victory lap. Just a video and a "thanks for the memories."
The Myth of the Unstoppable Mid Laner
Most people look at Bjergsen and see the trophies. Six LCS titles. Four MVP awards. The guy was a machine. But if you talk to anyone who played against him during his prime, they don't talk about the hardware. They talk about the pressure. It was like playing against a wall that also had a sword.
He didn't just win lane; he made you feel like you didn't know how to play the game. Honestly, the "Bjergsen and four wards" meme was funny, but it was also kinda disrespectful to the insane level of carry work he had to do for years.
Why TSM was both his peak and his prison
For seven years, Bjergsen and TSM were synonymous. You couldn't think of one without the other. This was the era of "Baylife" and TSM Legends. But as the years went on, the pressure shifted. It wasn't just about winning anymore; it was about not losing.
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- 2014-2016: Pure dominance. The Bjerg/Doublelift era felt like NA finally had a chance on the world stage.
- 2017-2019: The "Group Stage Curse" started to settle in. Domestic titles were great, but the international failures started to weigh heavy.
- 2020: The final TSM hurrah. A miracle lower-bracket run to win the summer split, followed by the devastating 0-6 at Worlds.
That 0-6 was the turning point. You could see it in his face. The grind that had fueled him for nearly a decade was finally starting to burn him out.
League of Legends Bjergsen: What Most People Get Wrong
There’s this common narrative that Bjergsen "failed" internationally. People love to point at the lack of a Worlds trophy. But that's a narrow way to look at a career. In 2016, he was going toe-to-toe with Crown and Xiaohu. He was widely respected by LCK and LPL mids as one of the few Westerners who actually "got it."
The reality? League is a team game. You can be the best individual player in the server, but if the team's macro isn't there, you're toast at the highest level.
The coaching experiment that didn't stick
When he first retired in 2021 to coach TSM, everyone thought it was the natural next step. He was already basically a player-coach anyway. But something was missing. You could tell he still had that "itch." Watching your team make mistakes from the sidelines is a special kind of torture for a perfectionist like Bjerg.
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So, he came back. The "Superteam" at Team Liquid in 2022 was supposed to be his redemption. Hans Sama, CoreJJ, Bwipo... it was a roster of giants. And it flopped. Hard. It's a reminder that on-paper talent doesn't always translate to on-rift synergy.
The Final Chapter at 100 Thieves
The 2023 run with 100 Thieves felt different. It felt like a "last dance." Reunited with Doublelift, playing with younger talent like Tenacity and Busio—it was supposed to be a fun, competitive way to end things.
But the game had changed. The LCS had changed. And Bjergsen, ever the pragmatist, realized he didn't want to be a part of the "day-to-day" grind anymore. He didn't want to spend 14 hours a day in a dark room practicing CS patterns.
He chose peace over one last trophy.
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What he’s doing now (2026 update)
Since his "final" retirement, Bjergsen has largely stayed out of the spotlight. Unlike many of his peers who jumped straight into full-time streaming or "clickbait" content creation, he’s been living a relatively quiet life. He’s been seen at various esports events, but usually as a spectator or a guest, not a participant.
He’s invested his earnings wisely—remember, he was one of the first players to have equity in TSM before he had to sell it to join TL. He's doing the "Tim Duncan" of esports: winning everything, being a professional till the end, and then disappearing to enjoy the fruits of his labor.
Actionable Takeaways from the Bjergsen Era
If you're a fan of League or an aspiring pro, there are real lessons to take from Søren’s career:
- Work Ethic is Non-Negotiable: Bjerg wasn't just talented; he outworked everyone. If you aren't willing to be the first one in and last one out, don't expect his results.
- Adaptability is King: He survived through countless meta shifts—from the assassin meta to the control mage era and back again.
- Know When to Fold: There is dignity in walking away. Don't let the game consume your entire identity until there's nothing left.
- Legacy Isn't Just Trophies: It’s about the standard you set. Every mid laner who came into the LCS after 2014 was measured against the "Bjergsen bar."
Bjergsen's impact on League of Legends isn't just about the kills or the gold leads. It's about the fact that he made an entire region better just by existing. He forced NA to level up. And while the LCS might look different today, the shadow of the Great Dane still looms over the mid lane.
If you want to understand the current meta or see how the mid lane has evolved since his departure, checking out the latest VODs from the LCP or LEC is your best bet to see who is trying to fill those massive shoes.