“It’s hard being English” – Nathan Aspinall proposes World Cup overhaul as Littler & Humphries dominate England selection

Nathan Aspinall knows exactly where he stands in the modern darts hierarchy. An established elite performer for years, the Englishman is clear eyed about both his own level and the brutal competition around him, particularly when it comes to breaking back into England’s World Cup picture in an era dominated by Luke Humphries and Luke Littler.

Asked whether splitting the two Lukes has become a personal fixation, Aspinall wastes no time dressing the answer up. Speaking to Oche180, he is characteristically blunt. “Honestly, and you can bleep this out, I couldn’t give a shit.”

That response is not indifference, but realism. Aspinall does not believe the path forward lies in obsessing over others. Instead, his focus remains firmly on his own level. “All you can do is try to improve yourself, and that’s exactly what I know I’m doing. I can already see it this year. My level is certainly higher already.”

For Aspinall, there is no debate about the standard currently being set. He is unequivocal about who defines the top of the sport right now. “Without being blunt, we all know how good the two Lukes are. They are the two best players in the world, hands down. The whole world knows that.”

That reality shapes everything else. Aspinall does not expect the gap to close naturally, nor does he believe those ahead of him will slip back to meet the chasing pack. “You’ve just got to keep getting better. They’re not going to step off, if you know what I mean? You’ve got to get to their level, they ain’t going to come down to yours.”

Even so, Aspinall is refreshingly open about the realities of elite competition. Tournament dynamics matter, and he admits that the draw looks very different when one of the dominant figures is removed early. “Of course, it’s always good when one of them goes out. It does give you that little bit of belief. You think, well, he’s gone, fingers crossed the other one gets beat, and then there’s more of a chance.”

He is equally blunt about claims of indifference from rivals still in the field. “You’ll have your Michaels and your Gezzy’s saying, ‘I don’t care.’ Yeah, you do.”

For Aspinall, that honesty is simply part of professional darts. The stakes are too high, and the margins too fine, for anyone to genuinely ignore what happens elsewhere in a tournament. “No one wants them to win the tournament. If they get beat early, it’s happy days for all of us.”

At the same time, Aspinall is quick to acknowledge the wider impact Humphries and Littler have had on the sport as a whole. “But no, they’re both incredible. And without them, darts wouldn’t be where it is now. We wouldn’t be in Saudi.”

What underpins Aspinall’s confidence is his own form. Over the past year, he has shown repeatedly that he remains competitive at the highest level, particularly on the televised stage, reinforcing his belief that he still belongs among the elite.

His career history backs that up. Aspinall has already climbed high enough to put himself firmly in England contention before. “I’ve been very, very close. On two occasions I was world number four.”

The World Cup of Darts remains a major personal target. Representing England is something Aspinall has never hidden his desire for, even while acknowledging how difficult selection has become. “Of course. That is the one goal that I want to do. Like you said, I love England.”

Yet he is realistic about the challenge ahead. With the leading candidates younger and firmly established, the road back into the team is not an easy one. “They’re both younger than me as well, which doesn’t help.”

Aspinall also recognises the depth of competition at home, something that makes England selection uniquely difficult. “But being English, it’s hard. You’ve got Stephen Bunting, you know, you’ve got Chris Dobey, Wadey… they’re all above me in the rankings. I’m like number six or seven in line. It’s hard to get in the England team.”

For now, his focus remains unchanged. He knows what is within his control, and what is not. “There’s nothing I can do apart from keep performing and hope that I get high enough of the rankings to be included.”

Looking ahead, Aspinall’s message is consistent and uncompromising. Improvement is the only currency that matters. “So I think all we can do is just keep getting better.”

He also believes the World Cup itself could evolve in a way that enhances both opportunity and spectacle. Aspinall has repeatedly spoken about the appeal of a Ryder Cup style format. “I think there’s more scope to do something special with the World Cup. I keep mentioning a Ryder Cup style format. I think it would be brilliant. I really do.”

And, in typical Aspinall fashion, he delivers the punchline that underlines exactly why the idea appeals to him. “Then I’d definitely get in then.”

For now, though, Aspinall’s approach remains simple: focus inward, raise his level, and be ready when opportunity presents itself.