Luke Humphries’ Plan to Shield Luke Littler from Boos at 2025 World Cup of Darts
Luke Humphries, world No. 1, revealed a supportive strategy to protect his World Cup of Darts teammate Luke Littler from potential crowd hostility at the 2025 event in Frankfurt’s Eissporthalle (June 12-15), where England defends its title. Littler, the 18-year-old world champion, faced boos from German fans at the 2025 German Darts Grand Prix in Munich, prompting him to vow not to return until October’s European Championship, per www.mirror.co.uk. Despite this, Littler confirmed his World Cup participation, posting on Instagram, “Dream team confirmed 🤝 bring on the world cup,” per www.mirror.co.uk.
Humphries, aware of Littler’s sensitivity to heckling, told *The Sun* on June 10, “If the German crowd rile Luke, I’ll be there to back him up. We’re a team, and I’ll make sure he feels supported,” emphasizing their unity, per @SunSport on X. He added, “Luke’s young, but he’s tough. If they boo, it might just fire him up,” drawing from their Premier League clashes where Littler thrived under pressure, per www.skysports.com. Humphries’ plan includes leveraging their camaraderie, seen in exhibitions like the Norwich MODUS Icons event, to keep Littler focused, per www.theguardian.com.
The duo, favored at 4/11 odds, faces strong competition from Wales’ Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton, who warned, “We can knock them off,” per www.skysports.com. Littler’s past crowd issues, including Liverpool fans booing him over football taunts, per www.dailystar.co.uk, highlight the challenge. Humphries, who won the 2024 World Cup with Michael Smith, believes their combined 103.45 and 101.29 season averages make them formidable, per www.pdc.tv. Posts on X, like @Tungsten_Tales, question if anyone can stop them, amplifying their favored status.
