Gerwyn Price’s pointed comments about Luke Littler and Luke Humphries’ lack of team cohesion at the 2025 PDC World Cup of Darts in Frankfurt ignited a storm of discussion, with former world champion Adrian Lewis and Humphries himself challenging the Welshman’s narrative. Price, speaking to Darts Now after Wales’ run to the final, suggested that Littler and Humphries’ early exit stemmed from their failure to act as a unified team, stating, “The only two players who didn’t turn up together, didn’t sit together, didn’t play as a team… they didn’t win their first game. You need to turn up as a team, practice together, sit together. It showed on the board.” The remarks followed England’s shock 8-4 second-round loss to Germany’s Martin Schindler and Ricardo Pietreczko in June 2025, despite Littler and Humphries being pre-tournament favorites as the reigning PDC World Champion and world No. 1, respectively.
Humphries swiftly rebutted Price’s claims at the US Masters, asserting, “We were a team. I told Luke, ‘Do your own thing.’ I need more practice; he doesn’t. All that stuff about us not being a team was not true. We got along really well.” He emphasized their mutual respect, noting their preparation differences—Humphries arrives four hours early, Littler two—were strategic, not divisive. Adrian Lewis, a four-time World Cup winner, offered a different perspective to The Express, attributing the loss to inexperience rather than a lack of camaraderie. “They didn’t seem to click. It was Luke’s first time there, and only the second for Humphries. It was always going to be tough against Germany, in Germany, with the crowd against them,” Lewis said, expressing confidence in their future potential.
Price’s critique, while bold, wasn’t baseless. Littler, 18, and Humphries, 30, entered as individuals with stellar 2025 records—Littler won the World Championship and World Matchplay, while Humphries claimed the Premier League—but their World Cup pairing lacked the seasoned synergy of past England teams, like Humphries and Michael Smith’s 2024 title-winning duo. Posts on X, such as @DartsInsider’s, amplified the controversy, with some fans siding with Price’s call for team spirit, while others, like @LukeFanatic, defended Littler and Humphries, citing Germany’s hostile crowd and strong play.
The incident didn’t fracture Littler and Humphries’ relationship. At the World Matchplay in July 2025, Littler’s 18-13 victory over James Wade showcased his focus, while Humphries, despite earlier tensions with Wade, praised Littler’s growth. Price, meanwhile, holds a unique edge over Littler, leading their head-to-head 7-6, including a 6-3 Premier League win in Nottingham in March 2025, where he predicted Littler could surpass Phil Taylor’s 16 world titles. As the trio heads to the Australian Darts Masters, Price’s comments linger as a challenge for Littler and Humphries to prove their teamwork in future events.
