Unlucky finalist in 2024, Luke Littler qualified for the final of the World Darts for the second year in a row. On Friday, the 17-year-old English phenomenon will challenge three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen.
A year after revealing himself to the general public by reaching the final of the World Darts for the first time at just 16 years old, Luke Littler managed to confirm his immense talent by once again reaching the final duel. Seeded number four, the 17-year-old Englishman shone again during the tournament and will try to become this Friday the youngest winner in history by erasing Michael van Gerwen’s record by around seven years… his opponent in the day in the final (from 8:30 p.m.).
In addition to this nice win against the Dutchman, Luke “The Nuke” Littler could also pocket a nice check for half a million pounds (around 600,000 euros) in the event of victory. Above all, he would fully embrace his status as a new star in England.
A beloved star in England
A favorite of the British public since his explosion in 2024, this teenager with a thirty-year-old physique stands out for his ability to play with the crowd. Everything in his attitude, as in his game, suggests that it is easy for him. The pinnacle of good English taste, this Manchester United fan has made it a habit to celebrate his success by devouring a kebab.
Proof of this incredible popularity, even if some of his detractors continue to assure online that he is not 17 years old, Luke Littler has more than a million subscribers on his social networks. Without too much surprise, he found himself on one of the main sports media outlets across the Channel before this summit final.
A sensational start to the tournament
Beaten last year by world number 1, Luke Humphries, who this year dominated Frenchman Thibault Tricole, Luke Littler has a superb opportunity to win this Friday. Brilliant since the start of these Worlds, despite a small alert during the fourth round won in the decisive round (4-3), “The Nuke” then flew through his quarter against Nathan Aspinall (5-2) and his semi-final against Stephen Bunting (6-1).
“I played better. I won a lot of titles before getting to this point. I can’t wait,” the Englishman welcomed the press in comments relayed by the Daily Mail. “If we both perform as well as we did on Thursday night, that will be really good.”
An epic duel in the final?
But after overcoming the fifth in the world to reach the final, the monster of precocity that is Luke Littler will this time face Michael van Gerwen. Triple world champion (2014, 2017 and 2019), the Dutchman is none other than the second most successful player in the history of the World Darts behind the legend Phil Taylor. Like his rival on Friday, the 35-year-old Batavian flew over his opponents to reach the final, so it promises an intense match in the best of 13 rounds.
In the event of victory this Friday, “The Nuke” would therefore write history and thus launch his quest to equal or even surpass Phil Taylor’s 14 titles. To reach such a total, the Englishman had pushed himself to over 52 years. Perhaps in 35 years, Luke Littler will also try to claim the record for the oldest winner of the World Championships after tackling that of the youngest champion. But, even in the event of defeat this Wednesday, the 17-year-old will be able to console himself with the 200,000 pounds (around 250,000 euros) promised to the loser.
Jean-Guy Lebreton Journalist RMC Sport
