The 2025 World Cup of Darts in Frankfurt was meant to be a crowning moment for England’s darts prodigies, Luke Littler and Luke Humphries. As the world’s top two players, the duo entered the tournament as overwhelming favorites, their resumes glittering with recent World Championship triumphs and major titles. Yet, their campaign unraveled in a stunning 8-4 loss to Germany in their opening match, sparking a wave of criticism. Former world champion Michael Smith, who partnered Humphries to the 2024 title, delivered a scathing verdict, pinning the blame on Littler’s ego. The 18-year-old’s failure to prioritize teamwork, Smith argues, cost England dearly and exposed cracks in the dream pairing’s chemistry.
Littler, dubbed “The Nuke,” and Humphries, known as “Cool Hand Luke,” were expected to dominate at the Eissporthalle, especially after bypassing the group stage as top seeds. Facing Germany’s Martin Schindler and Ricardo Pietreczko, they struggled from the outset, with a hostile home crowd amplifying the pressure. Littler started shakily, missing three darts at a double in the fifth leg, allowing Germany to surge ahead. Despite a brief rally with a 123 checkout, England’s average of 92.22 paled against Germany’s relentless 91.64, and their dismal four-from-11 doubles conversion rate sealed their fate. “They looked like rabbits in headlights,” said legendary referee Russ Bray, suggesting the weight of expectations overwhelmed the pair. “They just couldn’t get their game going at all.”
Smith, reflecting on his own World Cup success, pointed to Littler’s mindset as the critical flaw. “I didn’t have an ego going on the stage,” he told Oche180, recalling how he set aside personal ambitions to complement Humphries in 2024. “I was like: ‘This is not me against Luke, this is me and Luke Humphries versus everyone else.’” Smith contrasted this with Littler’s approach, accusing the teenager of trying to outshine his teammate rather than working cohesively. A pivotal moment came when Littler opted for a flashy 125 checkout, aiming for treble 15 to set up double tops, only to leave Humphries with a tricky 93. “I’ll do everything he needs by leaving his favorite doubles,” Smith said of his own strategy, implying Littler’s showmanship disrupted their rhythm.
The defeat drew further scrutiny from darts veterans. Double world champion Dennis Priestley claimed Littler and Humphries “let their country down,” questioning their recent MBEs awarded in the King’s Birthday Honours. “From what we’ve heard, they weren’t sitting together or practicing together,” he said, echoing reports of a lack of unity. Gerwyn Price, who reached the final with Wales, piled on, noting, “The only two players that didn’t turn up together, didn’t sit together, didn’t play as a team—they didn’t win their first game.” Littler, stung by the criticism, fired back on social media, posting a now-deleted Instagram Story: “Don’t deserve an MBE but done more in 12 months than he ever did.” His retort underscored the tension, but also his confidence in his meteoric rise, which includes 11 PDC titles and a World Championship at age 17.
Littler’s struggles in Germany weren’t new. He’s faced relentless booing from German crowds, from the Premier League in Berlin to the German Darts Grand Prix in Munich, where he threatened to boycott future events. “I just don’t get it,” he said after a semi-final loss to Gian van Veen, frustrated by the hostile reception. Despite this, he clarified he wouldn’t skip the World Cup, determined to prove his doubters wrong alongside Humphries, who vowed to support him against the crowd’s jeers. “I’ll be there to say, ‘Don’t worry about what they’re doing, focus on your game,’” Humphries said, acknowledging the challenge of hostile environments.
The fallout has only fueled anticipation for Littler’s response. His 2024-25 season has been a masterclass, with a Premier League title, a nine-darter at the World Matchplay, and a 115-average rout of Humphries in the New Zealand Darts Masters final. “When Luke’s on it, he’s untouchable,” Humphries conceded after that loss. Yet, the World Cup exposed vulnerabilities in their partnership, likened by Sky Sports’ Matt Edgar to the failed Steven Gerrard-Frank Lampard duo in England’s football team. As Littler prepares to defend his World Championship title in December, the “ego” critique looms large. Will he channel the criticism into another historic triumph, or will the pressure of his rapid ascent prove too much? For now, the darts world watches, waiting for “The Nuke” to ignite once more.
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