Former LEC jungler Shad0w makes history as first European LPL champion

Jack Stewart, Senior Editor

Last Updated: 22/09/2025

Jungler Zhao ‘Shad0w’ Zhiqiang has made history as the first European to win the LPL in China.

Shad0w is an Italian pro having been born in Milan to a family of Chinese heritage.

The former MAD Lions and LEC pro has revitalised his career, starring in Bilibili Gaming’s Summer Split triumph versus Top Esports 3-2.

Shad0w only joined BLG two months ago and now will compete in the main event of the League of Legends World Championship for the first time ever.

TES had been the favourites on LoL betting sites for the LPL title.

Following a mid-season dip after winning the Winter Split, TES came into the Summer Split with a vengeance.

Before the Playoffs, they had an impressive record of 12 series won and only two lost.

However, Shad0w seemingly has their number, as twice he subbed in for BLG mid-series and helped his team win.

Shad0w only dropped one of the six games he played versus TES in the LPL Summer Playoffs.

It’s a stunning revival of the talented jungler’s career after he spent years floundering as a substitute.

Shad0w’s big break came in the LEC as he joined MAD Lions as a rookie and had an incredible season.

He was named in the 2020 LEC Summer Split All-Pro team as MAD Lions qualified for the World Championships.

However, the team infamously failed to qualify out of the Play-Ins in a shocking result.

Shad0w was particularly memed for the failure after a botched Evelynn ultimate.

Despite his impressive season, MAD decided to let him go after just a year and Shad0w has struggled since.

He attended Worlds 2024 too, but only as an unused substitute for LNG Esports.

Worlds 2025 will be Shad0w’s first time competing in the main event of an international tournament.

LPL Regional Finals determine China’s LoL Worlds teams

Only two of the LPL’s four participants at LoL Worlds have been decided.

LPL champions and last year’s Worlds finalists BLG will attend as will MSI 2025 finalists Anyone’s Legend.

Despite competing in the Summer Split Playoffs final and attending First Stand, TES have not yet qualified for Worlds.

They will have to compete alongside Invictus Gaming, JD Gaming, and Weibo Gaming for the LPL’s last two Worlds slots.

Meanwhile, the two of those four who miss out won’t see their seasons end.

The fifth and sixth LPL seeds will join Ninjas in Pyjamas at the Asia Invitational, League of Legends’ new international tournament.

Jack Stewart, Senior Editor

In my seven years of esports writing, I've introuduced esports coverage to newspapers, interviewed some of the biggest names in the industry, and driven viewers mad with the puns in my YouTube scripts. I'm most proud of the latter.

All Posts By Jack Stewart