Raymond van Barneveld reveals moment Luke Littler left him shellshocked – but vows to show him who’s top dog
Raymond van Barneveld’s Shock Moment with Luke Littler: “Flabbergasted” by the Nuke’s Rise
Raymond van Barneveld, the 58-year-old Dutch darts legend and five-time World Champion, has revealed the moment Luke Littler left him utterly “shellshocked” during their 2023 World Darts Championship quarterfinal clash, admitting the teenager’s precocious talent “flabbergasted” him as a prodigy playing “like a man twice his age.” In a candid interview with *Sky Sports* on October 23, 2025, ahead of their rematch in the first round of the 2025 Machineseeker European Darts Championship in Dortmund, van Barneveld recalled Littler’s 4-1 demolition at age 16 as a “wake-up call” that reshaped his own mindset. “I was really flabbergasted that a young kid played so good against one of his heroes,” van Barneveld said. “Luke looked me in the eye and said, ‘Sorry, Barney, but I’m here to win.’ That shellshocked me—it’s the moment I knew he was the future.” Now, van Barneveld vows to “show him who’s top dog,” predicting a “proper battle” to halt Littler’s bid for world No. 1.
The 2023 Moment: Littler’s ‘Shellshocking’ Stare-Down
Van Barneveld’s recollection centers on a pivotal exchange during their Alexandra Palace quarterfinal on December 29, 2023, where Littler, then 16, dismantled the 56-year-old 4-1 in sets (3-1, 3-1, 2-3, 3-1). Littler averaged 102.71 to van Barneveld’s 95.13, landing 14 180s to 10 and converting 4/7 break opportunities, advancing to the semifinals in his debut. The “shellshocking” moment came in the post-match handshake, where Littler, eyes locked, reportedly said: “Sorry, Barney, but I’m here to win.” Van Barneveld, a Littler idol since his youth days, was stunned by the kid’s poise. “He looked me dead in the eyes—no fear, just fire,” van Barneveld recounted. “I was his hero; he was mine in that moment. Flabbergasted— that’s the word. At 16, playing like a man twice his age. It changed me; I thought, ‘This kid’s rewriting the book.'”
Van Barneveld, who won all five of his world titles (2005-07 BDO, 2007-08 PDC) before Littler was born, sees the rematch as destiny. “Luke’s the favorite, but I’m the old dog with bite—I’ll show him who’s top dog,” he told *Sky Sports*. Littler, 1-0 up in their head-to-head, responded: “Barney’s a legend—respect, but I’m here to win again.”
The 2025 Rematch: Van Barneveld’s Vow to Halt Littler’s No. 1 Bid
The pair’s Dortmund clash, Round 1 on October 23 (7 p.m. CEST / 6 p.m. BST / 1 p.m. ET), is a generational showdown in the £600,000 event (£120,000 to the winner). Littler, No. 2 seed and £70,000 from world No. 1 Humphries, eyes his fifth major of 2025 (Triple Crown, Grand Prix). Van Barneveld, No. 31 seed and on a wildcard, has grit: A 2025 Players Championship title (£10,000) and 2024 World Cup win with Cullen. “Luke’s flabbergasted me before—now I’ll flabbergast him,” van Barneveld vowed, referencing Littler’s 2023 “Sorry, Barney” as motivation. Littler: “Barney’s the goat— but I’m the Nuke; win’s the win.”
| Matchup | H2H | Key Stat | Prediction |
|———|—–|———-|————|
| **Littler vs. van Barneveld** | Littler 1-0 (2023 Worlds QF 4-1) | Littler 102.71 avg, 14 180s | Littler wins 6-3 |
Van Barneveld’s Legacy and Littler’s Respect
Van Barneveld, 67, has 5 World titles, 5 Euro Championships, and 11 TV majors, retiring in 2021 before unretiring in 2023 to face Littler. “Luke said I was his hero—now I’ll be his nightmare,” he said. Littler, who idolized Barney’s 2007 PDC win, calls him “the goat.” The prod vs. legend prod is darts’ dream tie.
As Dortmund nears, van Barneveld’s “shellshocked” moment isn’t nostalgia—it’s fire. The old dog’s bite meets the Nuke’s boom; top dog? Littler’s, but Barney’s roar lingers.
