"It was like: ‘How did you lose? How did you lose?":Dream team but at a cost as Luke Humphries lays bare expectation of Littler World Cup pairing

Luke Humphries teamed up with Luke Littler in the World Cup of Darts last year for the first time and will do so again in June for England but he admits the whole narrative surrounding the tournament was a bit suffocating.

In regards to the narrative that surrounded Littler finally playing the World Cup. Even before he played last year, many were waiting for the day he could and playing with his biggest rival at the top of the game was something that many were looking forward to.

But after they were dumped out by hosts Germany, Humphries said the questioning of their team became hard to deal with but even before the tournament where he said sections of people said that they shouldn't be losing a leg due to who they are.

"I wouldn’t say it is as a whole. But there was so much noise and people were saying you can’t lose a leg, type of thing," said Humphries. We didn’t believe it, but there was so much pressure put on us that we thought we can’t lose, because if we do lose then everyone is going to do what they did.

“Every time for the next three or four weeks after it was every exhibition we went to, it was like: ‘How did you lose? How did you lose?’

“It was like you wanted to not hear it. I think last year people have seen we can lose, so the expectation this year is a bit lower. But we know if we both bond and play well, it will be an incredible performance from us both.”

But also, there was the situation which was also a talking point surrounding the fact that Littler, as he often does, as was evidenced in Leeds when he turned up 10 minutes before the start, has his own schedule and won't turn up hours before like the established pros.

This led to conjecture surrounding the bond of the pair which Humphries has refuted saying that in reality they sat down after their World Cup heartbreak and discussed how to do it better this year.

“We are going to do the same again. There is no you do what I do. Luke says you do what I do. It’s the same scenario as last year. I get to a venue about three and a half hours before I play a game.

“Luke gets into it about an hour or two before. I said to him last year, you do what you want to do. I’ll come when I want to come. Don’t think you have to come at the same time. We are a team. I think last year a lot was said, and a lot was said that they did not act like a good team. Trust me, me and Luke are good friends. We get on really well. We want to do well."

But also given the issues that surrounded last year and England not delivering on this dream team narrative, Humphries is very much wanting to put it right and given Littler himself has never won it either it is very much one too that he is looking to tick off also for his CV.

“This year we are probably more determined than ever. Last year it was really tough for us to take.

“We sat down together and were like, what did we do wrong maybe? We were like, we didn’t do anything wrong personally. We kind of let the occasion get the better of us.

“We are more determined and focused than ever to do well in the World Cup because Luke is missing it from his CV and he wants it badly. I’ve got it, but I can help him win it.”

They play in Frankfurt between 11-14 June 2026 with Northern Ireland as defending champions. Other teams include Dutch Dynamos Gian van Veen and Michael van Gerwen, Cameron Menzies makes his debut with Gary Anderson for Scotland while a certain Gerwyn Price has decided not to play which has led to a sudden debut for Nick Kenny. He represents Wales with The Ferret, Jonny Clayton.