Angry Ginge reveals Luke Littler’s scary two-word message before coming back to destroy Van Veen in World Darts final

Luke Littler was convinced he was going to defeat Gian van Veen in the World Championship final the moment he dropped the opening set.

According to his close friend Angry Ginge, Littler’s reaction to going 1-0 down early at Ally Pally effectively signaled the end for Van Veen.

“The Nuke” secured his second world title before even turning 19 in January, and despite facing fellow rising star Van Veen, 23, the outcome never truly looked in doubt.

Speaking on the Double Tops podcast, sponsored by BetMGM, Ginge said: “He’s so laid-back, it’s unreal. Honestly, he’s just incredibly calm and composed.

“I was there for the final against Gian. He walks in with his AirPods in, has a few practice throws, eats a margherita pizza, throws a few more, then heads on stage.

“Gian takes the first set. I don’t know if anyone noticed, but as Luke walked off, he glanced over to where we were standing and said: ‘No more.’

“After that, he wins seven sets in a row.”

Littler stormed to victory in dominant fashion, averaging 116 throughout the match and smashing in 16 maximums—nearly twice as many as Van Veen.

He also produced a stunning 170 checkout, reeling in the “big fish” along the way, and controlled the contest by winning 23 legs compared to Van Veen’s eight.

Since then, Littler has continued to dismantle opponents, holding firmly onto the world No.1 ranking while collecting trophies at an astonishing rate.

The electric atmosphere, outrageous fancy dress, and elite-level darts continue to define the sport’s biggest nights.

Littler kicked off 2026 exactly how he ended 2025, adding titles in Saudi Arabia and the World Masters to his growing World Championship haul.

The Manchester ace—who shares a bond with Ginge through their love of FIFA, darts, and their hometown—then captured the UK Open, one of the few major titles that had eluded him during his rapid rise over the past two and a half years.

He has now claimed victory in three of the last four Premier League nights heading into Manchester on Thursday.

In last week’s final in Germany, Littler even landed two sensational 170 checkouts against Michael van Gerwen—including one to seal the match.

And it’s not just his talent that impresses Ginge, but his personality too.

He added: “Honestly, he’s such a genuine lad.

“I remember watching him at his first World Championship in 2024—just like Charlie Manby this year, the new kid on the scene, you naturally root for them.

“He was brilliant. He beat the Canadian lad Matt Campbell, then ‘Goldfinger’ Andrew Gilding, and then Raymond van Barneveld.

“That’s when I thought—yeah, we’ve got something special here.

“He even said he wanted to play Pro Clubs with us on FIFA. So I messaged him like, ‘Fancy jumping on?’

“He joined… and ever since then, we’ve been in touch.”