Luke Littler “The greatest darts player of all time,” says Luke Humphreys after the teenager wins the World Masters Championship

Luke Humphries described Luke Littler as “the greatest darts player of all time” after the teenager won his maiden World Masters title to become the third most successful player of the PDC era.

The 19-year-old beat world number two Humphries 6-5 and now has 11 PDC major titles, which puts him level with James Wade and behind Michael van Gerwen (48) and Phil Taylor (79).

Defeated finalist Humphreys told ITV4: “You look back at the whole game. It’s hard to find holes in it. It’s just the three of them in the double top.” [he missed].

“That’s the pressure he puts you under. He’s shown that through the classroom. He never gives in to pressure.”

“I think he’s the greatest darts player of all time.”

Littler’s win, which followed a 5-4 win over Gerwyn Price in a thrilling semi-final, leaves the European Championship as the only major television title in the PDC not won by the two-time world champion.

The high-quality finish saw a maximum of 25 goals as the lead changed hands several times before Littler eventually scored his favorite double 10 to claim the £100,000 first prize.

After a semi-final match that saw Price miss a dart in the match, Littler raised his game from the start. A stunning 153 put the challenge to Humphries, but the world number two reached the final after defeating Gian van Veen 5-0 in the semi-finals, and continued that form by winning the first set.

Littler, who averaged 104.72 to Humphreys’ 105.51 in the final, then took a 3-1 lead, racking up 121 runs along the way. But Humphreys did not want to give up the title he won last year and equalised.

With the score at 3-1 to the world champion, Humphreys came back with 10 and 13 darts on his way to leveling the match.

Littler missed three darts to take a 5-3 lead and Humphries took advantage to level again before hitting his first 100 points on his way to within one set of another title.

The world number one said he had “absolutely nothing left” at that stage but was able to “dig deep”.

“I’m devastated, completely exhausted. 5-4 before the final break [down]“I said I had nothing left, nothing at all, but I was able to dig deeper,” Littler said.

“I was fully focused and managed to get the job done. It’s been a strange and difficult week at times but that’s why we fight every game and in every match, I came out victorious.

“Luke and I were in our first major of the year, and I’m sure it will continue.”

In the end, Littler’s lead after the final break proved decisive. He threw his legs at 13 and then 12 darts to force a deciding set.

A throw break in the first leg of the deciding set gave Littler control and he didn’t let it slip. All he needed to do was one dart at double 10 to claim his first World Masters title.

All four semi-finalists will return to action when the 2026 Premier League gets underway in Newcastle on Thursday.