During the LEC 2025 Summer Playoffs, MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes was able to speak with BrokenBlade, the German top laner of Team G2. After the team’s final victory, BrokenBlade explained in the interview why top lane is the best lane in League of Legends and which champions beginners should choose.
Who is BrokenBlade? Sergen Çelik has been a professional German LoL player since 2016. As a top laner, he won this year’s LEC 2025 Summer Playoffs with his team G2 and qualified for the Worlds, the World Championship in LoL.
After his victory in the LEC final, we were able to speak with BrokenBlade and ask him many questions about top lane. In general, the role is considered boring in the community because you often fight tanks and the goal in solo queue is often just to push.
Why it is nevertheless the best lane in the game could be answered by BrokenBlade.
Preparing for the Worlds and Favorite Opponents
MeinMMO: First of all, congratulations on three very strong games. I am a top lane main myself, and I am of course happy to see such an aggressive top lane. That’s why I will also bug you today with top lane questions. But first: Next up for you are the Worlds. How are you preparing for that? Is it different from now for the LEC?
BrokenBlade: It will of course always run a little differently, because we travel for a long, long time and then there is jet lag and this and that. So, there was once a [Worlds in Europe] when it was much more pleasant, but it’s always a bit different. So we also have to rest a bit now.
We really worked a lot, everyone really gave a lot for this title, and then we go on with a little resting time. And next we will directly tackle the Chinese Solo Queue
and such. We are of course very excited.
MeinMMO: When are you flying out?
BrokenBlade: Thursday [October 2, 2025].
MeinMMO: Oh, that’s not that long away.
BrokenBlade: Exactly, there will be a bootcamp right away. The Worlds are not as far away as they were in previous years. I actually think that’s very good. It makes it easier to stay in shape. Especially for me, I always liked to take a bit longer off from playing, but now I have to step it up and can chill at the end of the year. So I definitely want to play much, much better in these Worlds. It’s a bit crazy; I haven’t made it past the group stage in my career. I’d say I’ve achieved a lot in Europe, but internationally, more needs to come. We’ve made it a bit further in MSI, but I definitely want to go far in Worlds and hopefully win the title.
MeinMMO: Do you have a favorite player you would like to compete against in the top lane?
BrokenBlade: For me, it has always been Bin [current top laner of the Chinese team Bilibili Gaming] and Zeus [current top laner of the Korean team Hanwha Life]. Now, since Kiin [top laner of the Korean team Gen.G] is performing really well in Gen.G, I would also like to play against him. Yes, I would currently say those three, but of course, at the end of the day, I just have to become the best, and I’m really looking forward to that.
Europe as a LoL Region and the Great Aspects of Top Lane
MeinMMO: You have already talked about Europe as a region. You have played in three regions in total during your career. What makes Europe so special in comparison?
BrokenBlade: Europe has a lot of talent, a lot, a lot of talent in this region, and I believe we just need to tap into it more. I think this year has been a very, very positive year for talents. So Skewmond performed very well today. In another split, Caliste performed very well, and in another one, Alvaro did great. They are all new players, and they will help us all be better and get better, and I believe the league itself has improved compared to last year or the years before. I’m very, very happy about that.
MeinMMO: I don’t know if you are familiar with memes or the general solo queue opinion about top lane. It’s the most boring lane, nothing happens, just two guys fighting.
Can you explain why it’s the best lane in the game?
BrokenBlade: It is the best lane in the game, […] because it’s very 1 against 1
during the laning phase. At least you can show you are much better than the opponent. Especially how you manipulate the wave; wave manipulation is, of course, the be-all and end-all for top laners.
For example, I played against Supa in Game 2, and I noticed he can’t play top lane. I proc’d his potion at level 2 [note: the opponent had to use his healing potion] and his ghost as well. He just had no idea how to play the waves. I found it very funny because I had talked a lot about this with Hans Sama since lane swaps have become a thing. So let me just play against my top laner.
They don’t want to do that either.
But yes. I believe top lane is the role where you can play the most different champions. You can play a tank, a bruiser, an assassin, a mage, ranged top laners, and AD carries. There’s everything in top lane, and that’s why I find the role the best.
MeinMMO: Which 3 champs would you recommend for beginners?
BrokenBlade: So what do we say for beginners? Gold?
MeinMMO: Someone wants to get good at top lane, exactly.
BrokenBlade: Then I would say: My favorite for beginners is Renekton. Renekton is basically the starting point for very many top laners for wave management. If you have very good wave management with Renekton, you gain many advantages simply in the laning phase, whether it’s about level 6 timing or how you play with your fury [note: resource of Renekton]. That’s one.
I think the other would probably be Garen. […] You can make many mistakes with Garen and still win the lane, simply because of his passive. There are many health regenerations, and his W [ability] is quite annoying, especially when people don’t know what the W does. It offers a lot of tenacity [note: resilience that reduces CC]. Many forget about that. Many beginners also don’t take teleport in top lane. I’m not a big fan of that, but of course, if you want to win the lane and then say: Oh, I’m carrying this game
– do it, it’s your game, you can do what you want.
And then I would probably suggest something else, […] that requires more skill, like, I don’t want to say Riven, […] that’s where I started. […] But something that requires a bit more skill, simply for the reason: When you are higher in Elo, meaning when you are climbing: At some point, your game knowledge just becomes useless, and you just need to be good enough to play. And if the opposing top laner outplays you with mechanics, since it’s a 1v1, then you just can’t win. Therefore, always practice a bit of mechanics and also want to practice.
MeinMMO: Do you have any other tips for beginners on what they need to pay attention to in order to climb?
BrokenBlade: Yes. Wave management, jungle pathing, very, very important, because when you are alone, you don’t get much help. And you need a strong mental, buddha mentality. Top laners have it tough; I know that from my experience as a one trick [note: a player who only plays one champion]. I was always a one trick, and as a professional player: You need a good mental as a top laner, and that will win you many games.
Learn more about tips to get better here:
The Best Season and the Best Skin in the Game
MeinMMO: You have already talked about one tricks; who is the best top laner and why is it Urgot?
BrokenBlade: I also like Urgot, but I would say the best top laner is Riven. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be a top laner, I think. […] Actually, I would be a mid laner because I played Katarina and Riven.
MeinMMO: I can understand that because it works similarly on mid lane.
BrokenBlade: And at some point, I decided that I only play Riven, and that’s why Riven is forever my favorite champ.
MeinMMO: Now the other side: Is there a top laner you would delete forever, aside from Teemo?
BrokenBlade: Ah, Teemo would have been my answer. Ugh, there are quite a few actually. I think Illaoi, she is just annoying. Just make a different kit and then we’ll all be happy. Yes, I would say Illaoi.
MeinMMO: And if you could choose any champ, not necessarily a top laner, to become viable, like a very quirky pick in pro play. Would you have something you would really want to see in a pro match?
BrokenBlade: Tahm Kench top lane. I really enjoy playing Tahm Kench.
MeinMMO: That sounds fun. Do you have a favorite season in LoL and why? Here, the juggernaut update from Season 5 is always notorious. That was a very critical moment.
BrokenBlade: Ugh, my favorite season was, I think, Fizz and Ekko top lane, at the end of Season 4 or the beginning of Season 5, something like that. That was my absolute favorite season. […] Fizz was one of my favorite champs when I started playing LoL. I played Fizz, Anivia, and Lux [mid], and when Fizz top lane meta came about, I played him all the time.
MeinMMO: And what is the best skin in the game?
BrokenBlade: Ugh, the best skin in the game. Ugh, I’d say, let’s go from the top lane. I think Project Renekton is really cool.
MeinMMO: I always think of Pool Party Renekton.
BrokenBlade: No, no, that’s a skin you use to mess with opponents during the recall. Or Sahn-Uzal Mordekaiser. I think it’s really cool that they made the music and such.
MeinMMO: Thank you. Good luck in the Worlds, and have a great celebration.
BrokenBlade: Thank you very much!
You can see the mentioned skins here:
What’s next for BrokenBlade? Since he has qualified for the Worlds 2025 together with G2, he will compete in China against the best teams in the world. The Worlds begin on 14.10.2025 with the Play-In Stage, in which T1 must face the Chinese team Invictus Gaming: Faker’s team struggles in their own LoL league against a major rival and must make a real effort for the Worlds
