"If I win 16 back-to-back-to-back World Championships I'm gone": Luke Littler continues to dismiss talk of being darting GOAT ahead of Phil Taylor
PDCWednesday, 22 July 2026 at 00:42
Luke Littler was truly special again as he won 11-8 over Nathan Aspinall at the 2026 World Matchplay to reach the Quarter-Finals where he faces Josh Rock.
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Littler spoke to the media afterwards speaking to the media including DartsNews.com about his nine-dart finish, 113 average, Phil Taylor and Minehead.
"It was a very good game to be involved in. Nathan produced another unbelievable performance. Like all of us players know, he'll never back off. He's always a fighter and always right there behind you," said Littler post match to the media including DartsNews.com.
"I just knew that 170 finish was going. I had it in my head that if I hit two single 20s I'd just set it up, but because I hit the treble I had to go for double five. Even then, I still knew it was going."
Asked if it could be the toughest test that he gets during the tournament. He said he has to see but now he will face Josh Rock and not Stephen Bunting in the next round. But Littler said anyway that he knew he'd be in for a good tie in that case.
"It could be. We'll just have to find out on Thursday and see if Josh Rock or Stephen Bunting can push me."
"If Josh wins, I know I'm in for another great game because, like I said after his opening match, nobody wants it more than him. I'll definitely be keeping a close eye on that one."
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Now he has his sights firmly set on the record average and blazing a trail setting new standards every time he gets on the oche. "I just want to produce my best darts every time I play. I think I did that again tonight. I think I was only one point away from the highest average, around 114.
"That record is there to be broken, so hopefully I can produce another performance like that on Thursday. I'm just very happy."
If I win 16 back-to-back-to-back World Championships, I’m gone - Littler.
He also hit a nine-dart finish and nearly hit another and he was gutted in reality that he missed the chance to hit two in a game.
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"It felt good. Everyone keeps asking me how I do it, but I honestly don't know. It was the very first leg of the game and then I wired the bull for another one. That was gutting because I thought I might hit two in the same match. I just had to regroup and come back on Thursday."
"I was practising at home today and played a first-to-11 against the dartboard and won 11-9. I actually missed double 15 during that and my sister's boyfriend just said, "You're crap, you're out soon."
"If I win 16 back-to-back-to-back World Championships, I’m gone”
Becoming the greatest ever has often been bandied around with Littler and he said that if he won that much realistically he'd be gone anyway and wonders if he will play for that long to do so anyway.
"That talk has been around ever since I first came onto the scene. People have always asked whether I'll be the next Phil Taylor. I've always said unless I win 16 World Championships and everything else that Phil has won, then I can't say I'm the greatest.
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"Will I still be around in 16 years? Who knows? If I win 16 World Championships in a row, I'm gone. If I don't win 16 in a row? I'll stick around another 10 years. I'm very happy at the minute. I've picked up so much silverware already and I've nearly completed every major.
"The main goal when I came onto the tour was simply to win one of every major. After that, the aim is to double it, triple it and keep going."
Littler has been thrown in line to potentially try and hold all titles at once. To do that, he would have to play the ProTours to qualify for Minehead, but he sees it as a catch 22 in that he'd get criticised for not bothering but also if he doesn't qualify.
"There are two ways people will look at it. I'll either get criticised for not playing the Pro Tours or I'll get criticised if I don't qualify. If I pick up the trophy, who knows what I'll do? I think there are only four Players Championship events left in Leicester and I'm not going to Den Bosch for the others.
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"So it'll be do or die, but we can't think that far ahead yet. Right now I'm just focused on Thursday."
Samuel GillChief Content Officer
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
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