Luke Littler is on the path to greatness: 'I'll be around for a very long time'
Luke Littler emphatically retained his world title and can now be regarded as an all-time great of his sport
On Saturday night in north London, Luke Littler rested his head on the PDC Darts World Championship trophy after becoming only the fourth player to win back-to-back world titles.
Over the last two years the teenager, whose dad bought him a magnetic dart board at 18 months old, has become accustomed to being on top of the world. Since losing the world championship final as a 16-year-old debutant in 2024, he has ruled his sport.
Such has been the 18-year-old’s impact, not only has he pushed darts further into the mainstream in the UK but he has also gained global recognition.
He was a topic of discussion on the Pat McAfee Show earlier this week with show producer Ty Schmit describing him as “arguably the greatest athlete in the world right now”. As Schmit concluded, no athlete is as dominant in their field.
"Luke Littler is arguably the greatest athlete in the world right now..
He is an absolute weapon" ~ @tyschmit #PMSLive https://t.co/xdWy5YG95I pic.twitter.com/ER3LkTsxmZ
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 30, 2025
The stats to back up Schmit’s claim are strong for a player who doesn’t turn 19 until later this month.
Last year, at 17 and in his first full year on the professional circuit, he became the sport’s youngest world champion, beating the previous holder of that title, Michael van Gerwen, 7-3 in the final and drawing comparisons to Pele and Serena Williams.
He has since become the world No 1, last year alone winning eight PDC televised titles — including the Grand Slam of Darts and the World Grand Prix. This year, he dropped only four sets on his way to becoming world champion and reached the final for the third time in as many World Championship appearances.
Luke Littler thumped Gian van Veen 7-1 in the final (Warren Little/Getty Images)
Perhaps nothing signifies a team or player’s supremacy more than a booing crowd.
He was jeered by some of the 3,000-strong crowd during his 4-2 win over Rob Cross on his way to the quarter-finals in this tournament. Littler made his feelings known in an on-stage interview, thanking the crowd for paying for his prize money which, after his victory in the final, stands at a record £1 million ($1,346,700 at current conversion rates). “I lost it up there,” he would later admit.
