"He’s not cocky or arrogant, he’s the most down-to-earth guy you’ll ever meet” - Angry Ginge leaps to defence of Luke Littler

Luke Littler remains one of the most talked-about names in the darts world, but according to his good friend Angry Ginge, the image painted of the young world champion is often wide of the mark. Behind the scenes, Littler is strikingly down-to-earth, even at the biggest moments of his career.

That Littler handles pressure in his own way became clear, according to Angry Ginge, in the build-up to the World Championship final against Gian van Veen. While tension usually reaches a boiling point, the Englishman kept things remarkably simple.

“He’s so chilled out, it’s unbelievable,” Angry Ginge said on the Double Top podcast. “I was with him before the World Championship final against Gian [van Veen] and his warm-up was throwing a few darts and having a margherita pizza!"

According to the content creator, that moment perfectly sums up Littler’s make-up. No over-the-top focus or nerves, but calm and trust in his own ability. During the final itself, Littler also showed how he deals with pressure. “After Gian had won the first set, they walked off stage, and Luke looked over to where we were all sitting and went ‘no more’. He obviously went on to win the next seven sets, so he basically called what was going to happen."

Littler’s rapid rise has brought him success, but also criticism. Some fans and analysts label him as confident to the point of arrogance. Angry Ginge completely disagrees. “He’s such a genuine guy, and I don’t think people realise how down-to-earth he really is. Of course, he’s Luke Littler, and he’s the best darts player in the world, but I really wish people would just treat him normally because he’s just a normal and genuine bloke.”

He says that’s exactly how Littler approaches life himself. “That’s how he likes it and I think that’s why we get on so well.”

Littler’s popularity is now so great that, according to his friend, he can be compared with the biggest sporting icons. Angry Ginge even draws a striking parallel. "Being mates with him is pretty cool. It’s like being friends with Ronaldo! Watching one of your good mates do what he’s doing is amazing.“

Still, he says their bond is mainly based on shared background and recognition. “He’s from only 40 minutes down the road from me, and he should be very proud of what he’s achieved. He’s a real credit to himself and his family."

The step up to the big stage initially brought challenges for Littler, too. The media attention and constant public glare took some getting used to. “He struggled a bit at first with being in the limelight and having to speak on camera. I think he was pretty nervous and wasn’t sure what to say, but his personality really comes through in interviews now.”

At the same time, Littler has recently faced critical reactions from the crowd, including boos during matches. According to his friend, that has little to do with his behaviour. “I think it’s probably down to the fact that people want to see others win. There’s a mistake sometimes that he’s cocky, and I can tell you that’s not correct at all."

He does acknowledge that Littler is sometimes misunderstood. “Sometimes what he says can come across a little cocky, but there’s absolutely no way that’s what he’s aiming to do. He’s not cocky or arrogant, he’s the most down-to-earth guy you’ll ever meet.”