The 2025 World Cup of Darts in Frankfurt, Germany, was expected to be a showcase of dominance for England’s Luke Littler and Luke Humphries, the world’s top two ranked players and recent recipients of MBEs in the King’s Birthday Honours on June 13. However, their campaign ended in a stunning upset, as the pre-tournament favorites were ousted in the second round by a spirited German duo, Martin Schindler and Ricardo Pietreczko, in an 8-4 rout at the Eissporthalle. Welsh star Gerwyn Price, a two-time World Cup champion, didn’t mince words in his assessment, attributing England’s “rubbish” performance to a glaring lack of team spirit. His pointed critique has ignited a firestorm of debate within the darts community, highlighting the critical role of camaraderie in the high-stakes doubles format.
Price, who reached the final alongside teammate Jonny Clayton before falling 10-9 to Northern Ireland in a thrilling last-leg decider, emphasized the importance of unity in the team event. Speaking candidly after the final, he remarked, “I think you need a connection. I think you need to have that camaraderie off the stage and have that connection.” He pointedly noted, “When all the teams first turned up on the first day, the only two players who didn’t turn up together, didn’t sit together, didn’t play as a team… I’m not saying who they are. But they didn’t win their first game.” His Welsh teammate Clayton playfully teased, “I thought you weren’t going to say who they were!” prompting laughter, but Price doubled down, stating, “You need to turn up together, you need to be as a team, you practice together, you sit together, it’s a team ethic. It didn’t show with England, and it showed on the board.” Despite his harsh words, Price insisted, “I wanted them to do well but they were rubbish,” revealing a mix of competitive rivalry and disappointment.
The match against Germany exposed England’s vulnerabilities. Littler, the 18-year-old prodigy, struggled under the pressure of a raucous home crowd that booed the pair during their entrance to *Vindaloo*. He managed a 123 checkout to briefly level the score at 2-2, but missed doubles—England converted only four of 11 attempts—proved costly. Germany’s Schindler, who had boldly declared the English duo “beatable,” celebrated the victory, saying, “I was right because we believed in ourselves. The double 16s from Ricardo just went in, so we’re really happy.” Pietreczko’s clinical 106 and 101 checkouts sealed England’s fate, leaving Littler visibly frustrated as he quickly exited the stage.
Price’s critique was echoed by others in the darts world. Sky Sports pundit Wayne Mardle suggested the duo “buckled” under the weight of expectation, noting, “Luke and Luke, no doubt, were feeling the stresses and strains of being massive favourites.” The defeat was particularly stinging given England’s bye to the second round as top seeds and their status as defending champions, with Humphries having won the 2024 title alongside Michael Smith. In contrast, Price and Clayton’s synergy, forged through years of friendship and past victories in 2020 and 2023, propelled Wales to the final. Price reflected, “We didn’t play our A-game at all in the tournament, but it shows that as a team and as good friends, we can reach finals and give ourselves a chance.”
The fallout has sparked broader discussions about Littler and Humphries’s dynamic. Despite their individual brilliance—sharing the last two world titles and dominating 10 of the last 14 major titles—their lack of cohesion was evident. Humphries, however, has previously dismissed rumors of tension, saying last December, “I love him to be honest, I think Luke is fantastic. A lot of media outlets paint a different picture, me and Luke Littler are fantastic friends.” As the darts world looks ahead to the World Matchplay in Blackpool from July 19-27, where Littler and Humphries will resume their individual rivalry, the question remains whether they can learn from this setback and forge the unity needed for future team success. For now, Price’s words serve as a stark reminder that in the World Cup of Darts, talent alone isn’t enough—teamwork is the true game-changer.
Leave a Reply