TSM's Bjergsen Announces Retirement

Bjerg Bg
Will Bjergsen lead TSM to victory as a coach as well?

Bjergsen has been one of the most iconic players in the North American League of Legends Championship Series. After claiming one more LCS title this summer and following a disappointing Worlds performance, the TSM player has announced that he will be retiring to become the team’s new head coach.

TSM fans have been on a rollercoaster recently. First, their team won the LCS summer split for the first time since 2017. Then, the NA champions had a disastrous Worlds run and failed to pick up a single win in their group. Many expected some changes in the TSM roster. The first news to come out of the team, however, took everyone by surprise: Søren "Bjergsen" Bjerg was hanging up his mouse and keyboard.

Despite his 24 years, it is hard to remember a time when Bjergsen has not been a part of the League of Legends elite. He first made a splash in 2013, competing in Europe on the Copenhagen Wolves and Ninjas in Pyjamas roster alongside support Martin "Deficio" Lynge. Bjergsen made a name as a hot new prospect, competing with famous European mid lakers like Enrique "xPeke" Cedeño Martínez and Alexey "Alex Ich" Ichetovkin , before being offered a spot on the Team SoloMid roster. Søren left for TSM in November 2013, replacing team owner Andy "Reginald" Dinh in the mid lane.

Bjergsen’s impact on TSM cannot be overstated. He has quickly become the team’s star player, leading the squad to six separate LCS championships in as many years and several Worlds runs. For six years, Bjergsen has been the mid laner to beat in North American League of Legends. More than that, however, the Dane has become the face of the organization. He stayed with TSM through thick and thin, even becoming part owner of the team in 2019.

His transition to a coaching position was unexpected, but perhaps it shouldn’t be. Team SoloMid has gone through a lot of coaches and as one of the most experienced players in the entire LCS, Bjergsen is a prime candidate to move towards such a position. Such a shift is not without risks - at the very least, the team will have to secure the services of a talented mid laner if they want to keep their form for next spring. Still, Bjergsen’s unique situation in TSM makes his position quite secure and he has the reputation to ensure that any players on the team will take him seriously. Likewise, he has a breadth of experience few figures in the LCS can equal and has often had to shotcall for his team - a promising start for a coach. Next year, we will see if he can pull it off.

This is likely only the first big news coming from the team as there have been rumors about changes in other lanes as well. Follow our coverage at earlygame.com for more news and analysis from the world of professional League of Legends!