Tearful Luke Littler visualised the dream as he became the King of Darts.
The 17-year-old superstar smashed Michael van Gerwen to win the Paddy Power World Championship. In dumping the Dutchman 7-3, Littler also became the youngster-ever winner of the PDC title. His incredible rise in the game started at the Ally Pally 12 months ago when, as a relatively-unknown boy going into the tournament, he emerged from it as a man and new sporting superstar having made the Final before losing to Luke Humphries.
Since then, he had amassed 10 PDC titles and won over £1million in prize-money and he added another £500,000 to the pot as, this time around the biggest match in the game, he made absolutely no mistake and swept to the Sid Waddell Trophy. Littler revealed he watched the Humphries heartbreaker just before going on stage against Van Gerwen and it gave him “the visions” to triumph.
He cried after the overwhelming win and said: “I can’t believe it. Everyone dreams of lifting this trophy. Since I was a little kid, I have been dreaming of lifting the trophy having watched plenty of Finals over the years, numerous people picking up the trophy.
“Earlier, I watched all of the game back against Luke and I had the visions. I could end 2025 winning nothing else. I want more than 10 titles, but I’ve picked up the best.”
Littler had the weight of history and expectation on his shoulders, but it didn’t matter a jot. The Warrington wonderkid sauntered into a 4-0 lead to leave the Dutchman dazed.
Van Gerwen was hunting a fourth crown, but, despite some fight and a rally to stave off the inevitable, he couldn’t manage to register four sets as he lost his third-successive World Final. Littler stormed over the line to start joyous celebrations as he wrote himself into the sport’s history books.
He said: “We both played so well. I’d said that I needed to get off to a quick start and that’s what I did. I knew Michael was behind me all the game. At 2-0 up, I started getting nervous, but I just said to myself just relax. I was throwing for the match and to get it over and done with was special.
“I knew I had three in hand. I usually don’t go for double 16, but just hit as Michael will come back. I keep saying it, that first game against Ryan Meikle is the game that really mattered. Throughout I have just settled.
“I learned a lot last year. Last year in the semis against Rob Cross, that was the first time I was 1-0 down and then against Luke. But throughout this tournament, I just needed to get off to quick starts.”
Van Gerwen had no complaints with the outcome and gave a foul-mouthed joke about the champ being half his age as he smiled: “I’m 35 and he’s 17. I’m an old b****d compared to him!”
The Dutch star was completely gracious in defeat and added: “I sometimes say that every 17 years a star gets born and he is one of them. I fell 4-0 behind and I felt as though I wasn’t doing myself any justice. That’s just the way it is.
“I tried to fight and battle back, but fair play to Luke, every chance he got, every chance to hurt me, he did it. Don’t get me wrong, I had a lovely tournament and enjoyed every moment of the ride.
“We all know I have come from a far distance, I’m doing better, but I was letting myself down too much at the beginning of the game and, when you do that against a player of his ability, you are going to be in trouble.
“You have to take it on the chin, move on and also walk off the stage as a champion. If you beat me in a good game, you have to be fair and that’s how sport works. He deserved it and played well. Of course, it hurts, but that’s how it should be. If it doesn’t, you are not going to be a sportsman. I have to move on.”