Luke Littler feels he must break Phil Taylor’s records to be considered the best

By Damian Spellman, Press Association

Luke Littler has conceded that he might one day become the best darts player the world has ever seen, but not until he has eclipsed Phil Taylor’s glittering list of achievements.

World number two Luke Humphries described the 19-year-old world champion as “the greatest darts player that ever lived” after losing to him in the final of the World Masters at the weekend.

Littler was quick to insist that was not the case and that 14-time world champion Taylor would always occupy that elevated status.

However, asked why he felt that was the case as he prepared to launch his bid to regain the BetMGM Premier League title in Newcastle on Thursday evening, where he will face Gian van Veen, the teenager said: “It’s just he is the greatest, unless I go on and win 16 worlds and 16 matchplays.

“Seventeen, get one over him then yes, I’ll be the best. But until someone breaks his records, then he’ll always be the best.”

Speaking at the same event, Humphries qualified his assessment of Littler, but stood by his estimation of his precocious talent.

Asked if his comments on stage in the immediate aftermath of defeat had been fuelled by emotion, Humphries, who takes on Gerwyn Price at the Utilita Arena, said: “Phil having achieved so much, it’s kind of harsh to not call him the greatest, so maybe I used the wrong term.

“But I definitely still stand by the fact he is the most talented darts player ever, not just his ability to throw good darts, it’s his temperament, it’s his way of being so good under pressure and to bounce back, all the credentials.

“But that’s not me saying that I’m going to accept defeat every time. I’m still up for it, still willing to challenge him, still going to push him all the way, but I’ll still stand by that he’s definitely the most talented darts player ever.”

Littler, who was beaten by Humphries in last year’s final, has set regaining the title he had won 12 months earlier as one of his main priorities for 2026, but his main goal is to win £500,000 before he gets to the World Championship.

Asked about his remaining ambitions, he said: “Just double and triple the titles that I’ve already won. Coming into this year, I’ve got a lot of titles to defend, and obviously the worlds at the end of the year, that prize money.

“The worlds is £500,000, so as long as I can win £500,000 before the worlds, then going into the worlds, I’ve got really nothing to lose on the rankings.”

Humphries, who has set his sights on a place in darts’ all-time top five by the time he retires, vowed to do everything in his power to rein in his young rival in what he believes could become one of sport’s great rivalries.

He said: “We’re the best two players in the world and we both push each other – that final in the Masters was amazing – but I know we can play even better than that, we’ve proved it.

“For us as players, it’s exciting, it is a rivalry that’s exciting. If we’re battling it out like this for another 10 years, then it probably will go down as one of the greatest ones ever.”