Luke Littler: 2025, a Record-Breaking Year and the Rise to World No.1

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At just 18, Luke Littler has had a 2025 that will be remembered as one of the most remarkable in darts history. The year began with Littler becoming the youngest ever winner of the PDC World Darts Championship, defeating Michael van Gerwen 7–3 in the final. He didn’t just win — he shattered records, setting the highest three-dart set average in a world championship match at 140.91 in the deciding set.

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00:00At just 18, Luke Littler has had a 20-25 that will be remembered as one of the most remarkable

00:08in darts history. The year began with Littler becoming the youngest ever winner of the PDC

00:13World Darts Championship, defeating Michael Van Gogh in 7-3 in the final. He didn't just win,

00:19he shattered records, setting the highest three-set dart average in a World Championship

00:24match at 140.91 in the deciding set. Man Slam champion, how special does that feel?

00:32It's a special feeling. It's been a tremendous week, 10 days, and the hard work has paid off

00:39and I can go home as champion. A brilliant final, so many big moments,

00:43but that 160 finish to go 11-9 up, did you feel that was a turning point for you?

00:47Yeah, I felt like it was a turning point because I got back into the lead and then went on to it.

00:54Going to the last break, 15-10, I knew I was only a leg away, but I just had to keep focusing

01:02and get that one leg over the line, which I did.

01:05And 14 games, 14 wins on the Grand Slam stage. What is it about this tournament that brings

01:10the best out of you?

01:10Yeah, I think I said it last year, it's just like a little Champions League knockout.

01:16Obviously, to win all three games and remain unbeaten and then obviously come out of the

01:20group stage, that's when the longer format comes into playing and that's when you see the best out of me.

01:26And you knew after beating Danny, you'd become the new World No. 1 after the tournament,

01:30but to mark that achievement by lifting the title must make it extra special.

01:33Yeah, obviously, I've been checking the rankings and obviously, with Luke Bunt tonight,

01:37he'd only be 500 quid behind me, but I've managed to pull away and make that a smaller gap.

01:45Littler's momentum only grew as the season progressed. He claimed multiple major titles,

01:51including the UK Open, the World Match Play and the World Grand Prix.

01:55At Blackpool's World Match Play, he became the youngest ever winner and broke the tournament

02:00record for most 180s. His dominance extended into the Grand Slam of darts, where he defeated

02:06Luke Humphrey, 16-11, to lift the trophy and officially become World No. 1, the youngest

02:12in PDC history, surpassing even Michael Van Gerwitt.

02:17Congratulations. I remember coming in, you said you wanted to defend one because you hadn't

02:21defended a major. Was there an extra pressure? What was that feeling like knowing that you

02:24had defended one there?

02:26Yeah, I wouldn't say there's any pressure coming into it. Obviously, it was not an easy group

02:31to get out of, but I managed to get out of it with all three wins. And like I said there,

02:36the longer format comes in, that's when you see the best out of me. And yeah, it's all

02:42paid off.

02:43Yeah, I am the best in the world. I can finally say it. World No. 1, you are the best in the

02:47world. And obviously, to top it off, going back to back, it makes it even more special.

02:52Again, on stage, you and Luke there, with Polly at Sky, in a league of your own, do you agree

02:57that you two are, literally right now, the best two players, by far, better than anyone

03:02else on the planet?

03:03Yeah, obviously, I think we are. The finals show it, the stats show it. And like Luke said

03:08there, if everyone's getting bored of me and him, then someone needs to stop us, otherwise

03:12we're going to keep winning. One and two, we're always going to meet in the final if we

03:16get past our opponents, and we'll make it continue.

03:18Five or more major titles in one year is a feat achieved by only a handful of legends,

03:25including Phil Taylor and Michael Van Gerwen. And Littler has done it at an age when most

03:30players are just breaking into the professional scene. Behind titles and statistics, his composure,

03:37precision and consistency under pressure have set him apart from the field.

03:42Do you have a psychological edge now? You've won the last, you know, the Grand Prix in here

03:47and going to the Worlds. Big win over Luke tonight again as well, like the Grand Prix.

03:52Does that mean you've got it all in the head? Are you in his head as well, do you think?

03:56No, I wouldn't say I'm in his head. It's just, it's a brand new final for us.

04:00No matter, obviously, it's set play, leg play. It's whatever happens on a day. Luke played

04:05fantastic there, so did I. But the 160 to get myself into the lead and to go two legs clear,

04:11I think that really changed it. Won more than Raymond, then obviously the rival could be better.

04:17But yeah, I don't think anyone's going to get past Phil's records and whatever he's done.

04:23But me and Luke, we're just going to keep going, doing our own business. And then if we do meet

04:26in the final, then it'll be another great final.

04:28For now, Littler is not just the rising star of darts. He is the standard bearer the man

04:34everyone else measures themselves against. After a year like 2025, the sport has a new

04:40benchmark and it comes in the form of Luke Littler.

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