"I would absolutely love to be the greatest dart player there ever has been" – Luke Littler voices ambitions to dominate darts for years to come

After his latest show of force at the World Matchplay, Luke Littler has once again made clear where his ambitions lie. The world number one, only 19, not only wants to keep dominating in the coming years, but ultimately go down in history as the greatest darts player of all time. To do that, Littler knows he still has a long road ahead, with Phil Taylor’s sixteen world titles as the ultimate benchmark.

Littler retained the title last week at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool, becoming the first player since Michael van Gerwen to successfully defend his World Matchplay crown. Moreover, ‘The Nuke’ has so far won every PDC major he has entered in 2026.

Earlier this year, Littler already defended his world title and his UK Open crown. He also captured the Winmau World Masters, Premier League, and World Cup of Darts. A unique clean sweep across the entire calendar year therefore remains on the table.

"I don't think anyone has ever won every major in the calendar year and that is what we are pushing for," Littler told Sky Sports. "The family, they are always backing me a million per cent and that is what drives me on.”

Because of his unprecedented achievements at a young age, Littler is increasingly compared to Taylor. The Englishman does not shy away from that comparison. In fact, he has never hidden that he ultimately wants to chase ‘The Power’s’ records.

"I would absolutely love to be the greatest dart player there ever has been. As I have always said, I have got to win 16 of these, 16 worlds, and then have a look at whatever else Phil Taylor did win."

Time is on Littler’s side, at least. Despite everything he has already won, he is only at the beginning of his career. "I have got plenty more years. When am I going to retire? Who knows. I have still got plenty more years left in the tank."

The frequent mention of Taylor’s name is not only down to Littler’s trophy haul. Statistically, the young Englishman is also drawing closer to records that for years seemed untouchable.

In Blackpool, Littler posted a tournament average of 111.04 across his five matches. That obliterated Taylor’s old World Matchplay record, set in 2010, when he averaged 106.31 across the event. Littler also improved his own record for the most 180s in a single edition of the World Matchplay.

"I am very happy with myself and the performances, not only in the final but the past eight days, every round," Littler said. "It is crazy to say that the 109 average was my worst average throughout the tournament."

Yet the World Matchplay also shows how big the gap to Taylor still is in some areas. Littler once again holds the trophy named after Taylor, but he would have to win the World Matchplay every year through 2040 just to equal ‘The Power’s’ record haul of titles.

Taylor dominated the tournament for years in a way no one has matched since. In 2007, just six months after Littler was born, Taylor lost in the World Matchplay quarterfinals. It was only his second defeat in Blackpool in that century.

Taylor then went seven years unbeaten on the Winter Gardens stage. He won seven consecutive editions and racked up 38 straight victories during that run. Over his entire 24-year World Matchplay career, Taylor lost only eight matches.

In scoring power, however, Littler is now frighteningly close. His 111.04 average is the second-highest tournament average ever by a winner of a major event. He fell just half a point short of the mark Taylor set when he won the 2009 European Championship, while Littler played more than twice as many legs in Blackpool.

Littler’s focus now shifts to the remaining majors of 2026. Later this year, he defends his titles at the World Grand Prix and the Grand Slam of Darts. The European Championship is also still missing from his honours list.

If Littler wins those three tournaments, he would then only need the Players Championship Finals to capture all majors and major televised events within a single calendar year.

Even Taylor and Van Gerwen did not manage to complete exactly that set in their most dominant years. In Taylor’s stellar 2009 season, the Premier League and the World Cup of Darts were missing, with the latter only introduced a year later. Van Gerwen did not win the World Cup during his dominant 2016 season.

The Players Championship Finals, however, remain an issue for Littler. He has skipped several ProTour events this season and is therefore not yet certain of qualification. His success at the majors has made him reconsider his schedule.

"Coming into the tournament I'd won every major so far so this is what I wanted to do," Littler explained. “I’ve been keeping an eye on the ProTour ranking. "I have been checking the Pro Tour rankings - whoever is in 64th just keeps going up and up!"

As a result, the world champion now appears likely to turn up more often at Players Championship events in the coming months. "I know there is four (Players Championship events) in Leicester I have got to go to now. If I don't qualify I will get grilled and if I qualify I will get grilled anyway, so who knows what is going to happen."