Alphari confident Team Liquid can qualify for Worlds quarter finals: ‘I want to win Worlds. I’m not going to say that’s 100% the expectation this year, but I think we’ll get out of groups’

Artwork by Ali Hassanein originally posted in the LoL subreddit, used with permission

The Welshman is at Worlds once again – it’s a story that would inspire any hopeful UK League of Legends pro player, and Esports News UK is lucky enough to have been following this talent from the start of his career.

British top-laner Barney ‘Alphari’ Morris is the sole British player at the 2021 LoL World Championship (Worlds), and he’s hopeful his side, North American LCS Summer 2021 runners-up, Team Liquid, will progress from the group stage.

Speaking to Ashley Kang of Korizon Esports on his expectations for Team Liquid at Worlds, Alphari said: “I think we’ll get out of groups. I want us to at least perform as best as I believe that we can.

“Right now I’m not entirely sure what our ceiling is. It’s a cheesy answer, but as long as we try hard in scrims and on stage, and I feel like everyone is giving energy, actively trying and thinking about how we’re going to win, then I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t make it out of groups.

“And from there on, so long as we continue to give our best, then I would be satisfied.”

Team Liquid are in Group D with LEC Summer 2021 champions Mad Lions, LCK’s Gen.g and a play-ins team to be confirmed.

Worlds 2021 group draw concludes: Which groups are the EU LEC teams in and what chance do Mad Lions, Fnatic and Rogue have of reaching playoffs?

In terms of his own ambitions, Alphari added: “I want to win Worlds. I’m not going to say that’s 100% the expectation this year, but obviously that would be the dream for me, for any player.

“But as long as we give energy and I’m not dissatisfied with my individual performance, and I feel like my teammates are trying, then there’s not too much to be super unhappy about whatever happens, I suppose.”

Alphari has been at Worlds before, with Misfits, who famously came close to defeating SKT (T1) in the 2017 quarter-finals, losing to them 3-2.

He also spoke to Ashley about always wanting to better himself, being excited scrimming against Eastern teams at Worlds, and why he watches more Asian top-laners than Western top-laners.

You can check out the full interview by Ashley Kang below:

Dom Sacco

Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.

As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.