BLG’s Shad0w spoke with esports.gg about being the first seed, facing every opponent, and bringing the trophy back to the LPL at home.
The League of Legends (LoL) Worlds 2025 hype is real, and it’s time to get ready for the biggest event of the year. Confidence is at an all-time high, and BLG’s Zhao "Shad0w" Zhi-Qiang is ready to show that the new Bilibili Gaming can go even further than before. Held in China and marking his return to the international stage, this tournament is especially meaningful for Shad0w.
Before diving into Shad0w's interview with esports.gg, let’s take a look at BLG’s journey this year, leading up to their LoL Worlds 2025 qualification.
BLG rostermania
After losing in the LoL Worlds 2024 Grand Finals, Bilibili Gaming was struggling at the beginning of the 2025 season. The fourth place in the LPL Split 1 did not look like something the team would do, especially with their history of domestic dominance.
In April, the team signed Yang "Beichuan" Ling, a jungler from the FunPlus Academy who spent nearly three years with TT Gaming. While the team hadn’t made a big mark in terms of results, Beichuan caught BLG’s attention as they were looking for a fresh start in the jungle.
Yan "Wei" Yang-Wei officially departed to join Invictus Gaming (IG), but BLG wasn’t done reshaping their roster. The head coach also left, paving the way for Lee "KaKAO" Byung-kwon, a former pro jungler who had been working as an analyst since 2023. To kick off the Summer Split with a completely new strategy, BLG added another jungler to the roster: Zhao "Shad0w" Zhi-Qiang. And then, the awaited domestic win finally came to BLG against Top Esports by 3-2.
Who is BLG Shad0w?
Shad0w, the Italian-Chinese player who began his career in the League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC) and has been competing in the LPL since 2021. He started playing league in Season 3 and dropped out of high school to pursue his esports career.
Early in his career, Shad0w began to stand out, joining lesser-known European teams before signing with MAD Lions. After a year there, he moved to China to play for LGD Gaming, then went on to represent Ninjas in Pyjamas, LNG Esports, and FunPlus Phoenix.
Following a roster reshuffle at his last team, he joined Bilibili Gaming as a second jungler. Paired with Beichuan, they formed a strong and consistent jungle duo, one that could finally help BLG achieve their ultimate goal: winning LoL Worlds 2025.
But Shad0w is more than just a skilled player; he’s also incredibly charismatic. In an interview with esports.gg, we dove into a fun topic fans had been curious about: his fear of flying.
Sofia: I heard you’re a bit afraid of flying, and you came to Beijing by train. What’s the story behind that?
BLG Shad0w: I think it’s because I’ve flown a lot in the past, and there’s been quite a bit of turbulence. So now, I’m kind of scared of it.
Sofia: So, if you qualify for an international event, how will you do it?
BLG Shad0w: I mean, if I’m forced to fly, there’s not much I can do; I just have to deal with it. I can fly, but if I have other options, I usually take them instead.
Silencing the haters with records
Sofia: This is your first LoL Worlds since you joined BLG. What are your expectations for the tournament? And playing in China must make it even more special for you, right?
BLG Shad0w: I think our only expectation is to be champions. Representing the LPL as the first seed comes with a lot of expectations and pressure, so I hope we can rise to the challenge and take home the trophy.
Sofia: You're also the first player to qualify for the LoL Worlds, having played for both the LEC and the LPL. Does this have some meaning for you or don't you care much about these records?
BLG Shad0w: I think it just proves that I'm kind of a good pro player, and that's something for me, yeah.
Sofia: Can you talk a little bit more about your transition from the LEC to the LPL? What do you think are the biggest differences, and does it feel good to be back at the international stage?
BLG Shad0w: I think the main difference is that there are just more teams in the LPL, so you have to adapt to a wider variety of playstyles. Being back at Worlds again feels really good, and I’m really happy for the opportunity. I hope we can perform even better than last time.
Shad0w's unmatched confidence: "I think we're going to win it."
Sofia: These patch notes introduced some interesting changes for jungle champions. Is there one that you’re most excited about?
BLG Shad0w: I can’t really point to a specific one due to our strategy and draft picks. There are a lot of changes, though, and I think we’ll see how they play out soon enough in the group stages.
Sofia: Are you confident you'll do a great performance, right?
BLG Shad0w: I mean, I think we're going to win it, so yeah.
Sofia: Is there any jungler that you would love to play against in the tournament?
BLG Shad0w: I kind of want to play against any team, since I haven’t been to many international stages recently. From NA, I’d like to face Inspire, since we were rookies the same year. I also know Fnatic and G2 Esports, so I’d like to face them as well. As for the LCK, they’re some of the strongest teams right now, and beating them would be really satisfying.
Sofia: And from the LCP?
BLG Shad0w: I think JunJia is playing really well, and I know Karsa a little bit, so honestly, I’d love to play against all of them.
BLG Shad0w on teaming up with Beichuan in the jungle
Sofia: BLG won Split 3 and enters Worlds as the first seed. Do you feel any extra pressure coming in as the top seed?
BLG Shad0w: I think representing the LPL as the first seed definitely comes with some pressure, but I believe we can handle it and perform well. I’m confident we’ll deliver.
Sofia: How has the transition been playing alongside Beichuan, since you both play in the same position?
BLG Shad0w: I think we just have different playstyles, and our team is performing really well with both of us. Having two junglers gives us more strategies and draft options, which I think will make it very difficult for our opponents.
Sofia: Can we expect some exotic picks from your side?
BLG Shad0w: I mean, I can't say anything. We'll see you on the stage.
Sofia: How has it been coordinating with the team, and what adjustments have you made to play alongside such talented players like Bin, Knight, Elk, and ON?
BLG Shad0w: I think when I joined them, I didn’t really need to make any adjustments because they’re already so good at what they do. I just needed to step up my own performance, and that was enough to help us win this split.
Sofia: Do you have any message you want to leave for the fans?
BLG Shad0w: I just want to thank all my fans, and we’ll do our best to bring the trophy back to the LPL.
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