Luke Littler makes feelings clear after Luke Humphries called him ‘greatest ever’ following Masters triumph

Luke Littler Makes Feelings Clear After Luke Humphries Called Him ‘Greatest Ever’ Following Masters Triumph

Luke Littler has firmly rejected Luke Humphries’ stunning claim that he’s already “the greatest darts player who has ever lived,” insisting Phil Taylor’s legacy remains untouchable and that only matching The Power’s trophy haul could justify such a title.

The Ultimate Compliment

The extraordinary assessment came moments after Littler completed a nerve-shredding 6-5 victory over Humphries in the Winmau World Masters final at Arena MK in Milton Keynes. With the teenager having just claimed his 11th PDC major title—placing him joint-third on the all-time list alongside James Wade—Humphries delivered one of the most remarkable post-match tributes in modern darts history.

“It was such a great game of darts. He has shown that true class,” Humphries told ITV4 on stage immediately following the final. “I said to him at the end I don’t think he has a heart. He never folds under pressure. You try your hardest to put him under it but he never folds. It may be premature, but I think he’s the greatest darts player that’s ever lived.”

The claim stopped viewers in their tracks. Humphries—himself a former world champion and the current world number two—wasn’t simply praising a worthy opponent. He was making a declarative statement about Littler’s place in darts history, elevating a 19-year-old who won’t turn 20 until next January above every player who ever picked up a set of darts.

Littler’s Humble Response

When the dust settled and Littler reached his post-match press conference, journalists were eager to hear his reaction to Humphries’ bombshell assessment. The teenager’s response revealed both humility and historical awareness that belied his years.

“I didn’t hear him say that,” Littler admitted initially, having been caught up in the post-match celebrations. When informed of Humphries’ exact words, Littler was quick to push back on the notion. “No, no one will ever be better than Phil Taylor. I won’t be the greatest unless I do win more than what Phil won.”

It was a remarkably grounded take from someone who has just become the youngest player to win nine different PDC majors and who sits third on the all-time major winners list despite being a teenager. Littler could have basked in Humphries’ praise or offered a diplomatic non-answer. Instead, he chose to honor the sport’s greatest champion while setting himself an almost impossibly ambitious long-term goal.

The Taylor Standard

Littler’s deference to Taylor isn’t mere politeness—it’s recognition of a statistical reality that borders on the absurd. Phil Taylor’s achievements in professional darts represent a standard that may never be matched:

• 16 PDC World Championships
• 79 major PDC titles
• Seven consecutive World Championships (1995-2001)
• 14 consecutive World Championship finals (1994-2007)
• Multiple calendar years winning every major available
• Peak period of near-invincibility spanning two decades

When Littler says he won’t be the greatest until he wins “more than what Phil won,” he’s acknowledging that 11 majors—extraordinary though that total is for a teenager—represents just 14% of Taylor’s career haul. Even if Littler maintains his current pace of approximately five majors per year, it would take him until his mid-thirties to approach Taylor’s numbers.

The comparison reveals why Taylor’s legacy remains so imposing. Van Gerwen, widely considered the second-greatest player of all time, has accumulated 48 majors across a stellar career—still less than two-thirds of Taylor’s total. Gary Anderson won 31. Raymond van Barneveld captured 29. These are all-time greats, multiple world champions, players who dominated eras… and none came remotely close to The Power’s output.

Why Humphries Said It

Understanding Humphries’ perspective requires appreciating what he’s experienced firsthand battling Littler across seven major finals. The world number two has now lost four of those encounters, with the last three defeats coming consecutively—the World Grand Prix, Grand Slam of Darts, and now the World Masters.

“You look back on the whole game, it’s hard to pick holes in it,” Humphries reflected after the Masters final. “It’s only the three at double top—that’s the pressure he puts you under. He has shown that through class. He never folds under pressure.”

That final phrase—”he never folds”—appears to be the quality that prompted Humphries’ stunning assessment. It’s one thing to accumulate titles; it’s another to demonstrate an almost inhuman clutch gene when everything is on the line. Throughout the World Masters, Littler survived match darts against Mike De Decker and Gerwyn Price, came back from 5-4 down in the final, and repeatedly delivered his best darts precisely when the pressure was greatest.

Humphries has felt that psychological squeeze repeatedly. He’s averaged over 105, thrown nine-dart finishes, led in major finals… and watched Littler find something extra when it matters most. From his perspective—battling Littler week after week, major after major—the teenager’s mental fortitude might indeed represent something he’s never encountered before, even accounting for his battles with other greats.

The Premature Debate

Humphries himself acknowledged his assessment “may be premature,” and the statistics certainly support caution. At 19 years old with 11 majors, Littler’s trajectory is unprecedented. But trajectory isn’t achievement. Potential isn’t legacy.

Consider what would need to happen for Littler to definitively claim “greatest ever” status:

1. Surpass Taylor’s 79 majors – Would require maintaining elite-level performance for 15+ more years
2. Win 16+ World Championships – Taylor’s signature achievement, requiring dominance across multiple eras
3. Sustain excellence across decades – Taylor won majors in the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s
4. Maintain dominance as challengers emerge – Taylor faced Barney, Wade, Anderson, Van Gerwen and won regardless

Littler must not only continue his current form but navigate the inevitable evolution of the sport, the emergence of new challengers, potential injuries, loss of motivation, and a dozen other factors that have derailed countless prodigies across sports.

What Littler Has Accomplished

That said, dismissing the comparison entirely would be equally foolish. What Littler has achieved is genuinely historic:

• Youngest World Championship finalist (16)
• Youngest World Championship winner (17)
• Youngest to win nine different PDC majors (19)
• Joint-third most major titles (11) alongside James Wade
• Only European Championship away from completing the full PDC major set
• 37 wins in his last 38 televised ranking major matches
• Current 20-match unbeaten streak at major tournaments
• Peak ranking of world number one

His consistency is staggering. Since losing to James Wade in the European Championship second round last October—his only televised ranking major defeat since becoming world champion—Littler has won four consecutive titles: World Championship, Grand Slam of Darts, Players Championship Finals, and World Masters.

The Psychological Edge

Where Humphries’ assessment carries real weight is in the psychological dimension of Littler’s game. Throughout the World Masters, commentators and opponents repeatedly noted how Littler elevates his game precisely when trailing or under pressure.

Against De Decker, down 2-1 and facing a match dart, Littler broke back and won 3-2. Against Price in the semi-final, down four separate times including at 4-4 in the decider, Littler survived a match dart and advanced. Against Humphries in the final, down 5-4 and admitting he felt “absolutely knackered” with “nothing left,” Littler rattled off the final two sets in straight legs.

This isn’t simply good fortune or variance—it’s a repeatable pattern. Littler appears to play his best darts when he has to, a quality that separated Taylor from his contemporaries during The Power’s prime. Average players play their average. Great players occasionally exceed it. Transcendent players summon their peak form on demand.

The Phil Taylor Perspective

Interestingly, Taylor himself has been quick to praise Littler while stopping short of anointing him as his successor. After Littler retained the World Championship with a 7-1 demolition of Gian van Veen, Taylor posted on social media: “Huge congratulations to Luke Littler. Well done buddy you played brilliant.”

But when previously asked about facing Littler in an exhibition match, Taylor demurred. “No, not yet, I don’t want to play him to be quite honest with you!” he told talkSPORT, half-joking but revealing genuine respect for Littler’s current ability.

Littler has suggested such a match will happen “sooner rather than later” and admitted “if Taylor does start practising, then it will be tough, but if he just sits at home and then comes to an exhibition then I fancy my chances.” It’s the perfect blend of respectful acknowledgment and youthful confidence.

The Road Ahead

Littler’s immediate focus shifts to the Premier League, which begins February 5 in Newcastle. He’ll attempt to reclaim the title he won on debut in 2024 but lost to Humphries in last year’s final. The 17-week roadshow across the UK, Ireland, and Europe will test his stamina and consistency against the world’s best in a weekly grind format.

“Obviously it means a lot to pull myself from 5-4 down to win 6-5,” Littler reflected after the Masters triumph. “It’s another one ticked off now. We can focus on the European Tour and the World Cup when it comes to that time, but I’m looking forward to the Premier League now.”

The European Championship in Dortmund this October represents his final missing piece in the major collection. Should he claim that title—still a teenager—it would represent an achievement only Taylor and Van Gerwen have matched: winning every available PDC major. The pressure and expectation surrounding that chase will be immense.

Humphries’ Warning

Despite his generous praise, Humphries made clear he hasn’t conceded permanent second-place status. “It’s exciting because I can go away this weekend and think my game is in a good place again,” the 30-year-old stated. “A little one per cent on top of what I’ve already done this week could be detrimental to challenging Luke a bit more. He’s got to watch his back.”

Humphries has proven capable of beating Littler—most notably in last year’s Premier League final—and his nine-dart finish against Luke Woodhouse earlier in the Masters demonstrated he’s playing at an exceptionally high level. The rivalry between these two Lukes promises to define the 2026 season and potentially the next decade of professional darts.

The Verdict

Is Luke Littler the greatest darts player ever? No—at least not yet. Phil Taylor’s 79 majors, 16 World Championships, and two-decade span of dominance represent a standard that remains distant even for a prodigy of Littler’s caliber.

Could he become the greatest? Absolutely. If Littler maintains anything approaching his current trajectory, sustains elite performance across multiple competitive eras, and accumulates majors at his current pace into his thirties, the debate will shift from “could he?” to “has he?”

But Littler himself understands the difference between potential and achievement. His refusal to accept Humphries’ premature coronation demonstrates maturity beyond his years and respect for the sport’s history. “No one will ever be better than Phil Taylor,” he insisted. “I won’t be the greatest unless I do win more than what Phil won.”

Fourteen more years. Sixty-eight more majors. Sustaining the unsustainable long enough to rewrite history. It’s an almost impossible task—but then, everything about Luke Littler’s career has been impossible until he made it look inevitable.

For now, he’s the most dominant player on the planet, a generational talent redefining what’s achievable at his age, and the holder of 11 majors before his twentieth birthday. Greatest ever? Not yet.

But the clock is ticking, the oche awaits, and Luke Littler has made his intentions clear: Phil Taylor’s record is the target. Everything else is just noise.