“I was fuming and he just went on and won it”: Luke Littler describes biggest disappointment in his career
Luke Littler, the 18-year-old darts prodigy nicknamed “The Nuke,” pinpointed his most significant career disappointment as his 7-4 loss to Luke Humphries in the 2024 PDC World Darts Championship final on January 3, 2024, at Alexandra Palace. In an interview with *Darts News* on July 4, 2025, Littler revealed, “I was fuming and he just went on and won it. I was just thinking what was going on,” reflecting on the moment he missed a crucial double two in the seventh set, a turning point that allowed Humphries to seize control and claim the title, per *The Guardian*.[](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/jan/04/luke-littler-says-he-is-bigger-than-winner-despite-losing-darts-final)
At just 16, Littler had captivated the darts world, defeating former champions Raymond van Barneveld and Rob Cross to become the youngest PDC World Championship finalist, per *Wikipedia*. Despite a stellar tournament, averaging 100.29 and hitting a 170 checkout, his 29.6% doubles accuracy (8/27) cost him against Humphries, who capitalized with a 124 bullseye finish to level at 7-7 before winning, per *BBC Sport*. Littler’s emotional reaction was evident, as he was seen in tears post-match, per @StokeyyG2 on X. “It was a bit gutting standing there on my own watching Luke lift the trophy,” he told *The Guardian*, though he acknowledged Humphries “deserved it”.[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luke_Littler)[]
The loss fueled Littler’s drive, leading to a triumphant 2025, where he won the PDC World Championship against Michael van Gerwen 7-3, becoming the youngest champion at 17 years and 347 days, per *Wikipedia*. He also claimed the 2024 Premier League, Grand Slam, World Series Finals, and 2025 UK Open, amassing over £1 million in prize money, per *The Guardian*. Reflecting on the 2024 final, Littler told *Daily Mail* he reviewed the match before his 2025 triumph to avoid repeating mistakes, saying, “I knew what went wrong last year”. Despite the heartbreak, Littler’s resilience turned his biggest disappointment into motivation for historic success.[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luke_Littler)[]
