Former world champion Rob Cross doesn’t put Luke Littler or Phil Taylor at the pinnacle of his darts pyramid. And having played both over the course of his 10-year professional career, his insight is perhaps worth heeding when assessing the greatest players in the sport.
Two-time world champion Littler is widely viewed as the only player capable of matching Taylor’s incredible record of 16 world titles. The 19-year-old sensation has already shattered records as the youngest world champion in history and continues to draw comparisons as the potential heir to “The Power,” with many believing he could dominate the sport for years to come.
But Cross instead named Michael van Gerwen as the biggest challenge he has ever faced personally. “MVG” was at the absolute peak of his powers when “Voltage” first entered the PDC circuit, and Cross believes the Dutchman prevented him from celebrating even greater success during his breakthrough years on the professional stage.
“It’s tough to evaluate. If I’d have said the toughest player I’ve ever played, I had one game against Phil [Taylor] and you can’t really take that,” Cross told Online Darts in 2025. “If I’d have played him numerous times, I’d have got a feel of what he was like and the domination he had at one point.”
The sole meeting between Cross and Taylor took place in the final of the PDC World Darts Championship in 2018. Voltage produced a stunning performance to emerge a 7-2 victor at Alexandra Palace that day, ensuring Taylor was denied the emotional farewell he had dreamed of on the biggest stage.
Cross continued: “Michael, he was different gravy, I suppose, when I first burst on the scene. He probably stopped me from winning three or four titles that year. In my personal opinion, at the minute, he’s the best player I’ve ever played.
“At the minute, it’s Michael for me. He always found something when he needed it. He had that extra gear change when he was in trouble. I’ve not seen many players like that, including myself, and that’s what made him stand out above the rest during that period.”
It’s worth noting Littler has since gone on to successfully defend his world championship title since Cross made those comments, further strengthening the argument that he could eventually rival the very best in the history of the sport. Cross has also added another victory over Littler in a Players Championship event, although their overall head-to-head record remains heavily slanted in favour of “The Nuke,” highlighting the teenager’s dominance in their encounters.
Referring to his fairly one-sided record against Littler and the teenager’s current trajectory, Cross added: “At the same time, the young man, if he holds it down for another three or four years and keeps sort of improving then maybe it’ll be him.
“I don’t feel like I’ve played well. I think I’ve played rubbish against him and played better stuff elsewhere. That needs to change and maybe even other people have done the same, because he’s setting a level that’s difficult to match right now.”
Littler is now targeting a fourth nightly win in five attempts in the Premier League Darts when he returns to action in Manchester on Thursday. The teenage star is already well on course to reclaim the Premier League crown, sitting two points clear at the top of the table midway through the season and continuing to underline why so many believe he is the future of darts.
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