‘Ego taking over’ – Darts rival brutally criticized and gives honest verdict on Luke Littler’s World Cup performance
In a candid interview with Oche180, Michael Smith, the 2023 World Darts Champion, didn’t hold back when assessing Luke Littler’s performance at the 2025 World Cup of Darts, pinning England’s shocking exit on the 18-year-old’s ego. The world No. 2’s brutally honest verdict highlighted a clash of priorities that saw England, the pre-tournament favorites, fall 8-4 to Germany’s Martin Schindler and Ricardo Pietreczko in the round of 16 on June 14, 2025, in Frankfurt. Smith’s comments have reignited debate about Littler’s mindset and England’s failure to defend their 2024 title.
Smith, who partnered with Luke Humphries to win the 2024 World Cup, contrasted his approach with Littler’s, stating, “I didn’t have an ego going on stage… I was like, ‘This is not me against Luke, this is me and Luke versus everyone else’” (oche180.com). He suggested Littler’s focus was on outshining Humphries, the world No. 1, rather than fostering team unity. “Luke tried to outdo Luke instead of working together,” Smith said, noting how he adapted to Humphries’ preferred doubles in 2024 to prioritize the team’s success (web:13). England’s dismal performance, averaging just 93 and hitting only four of 11 doubles, was compounded by a hostile Frankfurt crowd, leaving Littler and Humphries rattled (web:14).
The fallout drew sharp criticism from darts veterans. Legendary referee Russ Bray remarked, “They looked like rabbits in headlights… caught up in the hype” (web:13), while Dennis Priestley went further, claiming Littler and Humphries “let their country down” and didn’t deserve their MBEs (web:16). Gerwyn Price echoed the sentiment, noting, “They didn’t turn up together, didn’t sit together, didn’t play as a team” (web:7). Littler’s response was fiery, with a now-deleted Instagram Story stating, “Don’t deserve an MBE but done more in 12 months than [Priestley] ever did” (web:16). Humphries, more measured, urged moving forward (web:20). Fans on X were split, with one post stating, “Smith’s right, Littler’s ego cost England. Needs to learn from Humphries” (@DartsFanatic, June 20, 2025) (post:0).
Littler’s resilience shines through despite the criticism. His 2025 season, highlighted by a record-breaking 115.02 average at the New Zealand Darts Masters, proves his talent (web:0). Smith’s verdict underscores the importance of teamwork in pairs events, a lesson Littler may carry into future World Cups. His situation mirrors the pressures faced by athletes like Emma Raducanu, navigating scrutiny, or Alex de Minaur and Alexei Popyrin prioritizing team goals in the Davis Cup. As Littler prepares for the US Open Darts Masters, his ability to channel criticism into performance will be key to reclaiming England’s glory.
