“We hold him to such high standards… He is a child” – Luke Littler defended after emotional reaction to England’s World Cup exit

On June 18, 2025, Sky Sports analyst Abigail Davies passionately defended 18-year-old Luke Littler following his emotional reaction to England’s shock 8-4 loss to Germany’s Martin Schindler and Ricardo Pietreczko in the World Cup of Darts second round in Frankfurt, per Sky Sports. Littler, who stormed off the stage after the defeat while teammate Luke Humphries stayed to congratulate the victors, faced criticism for his conduct, with fans like @ant_leighton on X calling it “disgusting” and urging him to “take losses as a man,” per. Davies, on the Love the Darts podcast, countered, “We hold him to such high standards and on such a pedestal… He is a child,” emphasizing that Littler’s age is often overlooked when he displays typical teenage emotions, per.

Davies argued Littler is “damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t,” noting that staying on stage might have drawn accusations of not caring enough, per. She highlighted Humphries’ maturity, saying, “He reacted as someone would if they are 12 years older,” but stressed it’s unfair to expect the same from Littler, who faced relentless booing from the German crowd, per. Former pro Matt Edgar predicted Littler’s resilience, stating, “If he plays the World Cup 52 times, he’ll probably win 50,” per. The hostile atmosphere, described as “absolutely out of order” by commentator Rudy Lanssens, intensified scrutiny, with Belgian legend Erik Clarys warning of its psychological toll on young players, per.