LUKE LITTLER and Luke Humphries were crowned darts World Cup champions for the first time together as they silenced the German boo-boys.
Having bombed out in the second round a year ago amid a chorus of jeers, the Lethal Lukes returned this week and picked up the silverware in Frankfurt with four superb victories in the knockout stages.
Littler and Humprhies made up for the disappointment of last year Credit: Getty
The moment Luke Littler and Luke Humphries became World Cup champions 🏆🏴 pic.twitter.com/R0IajQGFgo
— Sky Sports Darts (@SkySportsDarts) June 14, 2026
A 10-5 victory over Dutch duo of Michael van Gerwen and Gian van Veen was sweet vindication to those who had suggested they could not play as a partnership.
Littler, 19, has won the past SEVEN televised majors since November and is eyeing a clean sweep of top tournaments this year.
Humphries – who won the World Cup in 2024 with Michael Smith – has also proved wrong the punters in the afternoon session who had gleefully sung “England’s going home”.
Well, the top two in the world will go home having to split a £100,000 winners’ pot and it means Littler only has the European Championship left for him to lift to complete his CV.
It is also sweet revenge over Van Veen, 24, in the first time Littler had played the giant Dutchman since their high-profile bust-up on the Manchester Premier League stage on April 2.
He may have had a sore head after headbutting the wall following the 8-7 quarter-final win over Wales and he might have an even sorer head come the end of the night’s celebrations on enemy territory.
The Netherlands won the Bull backstage and threw first in the contest – and in leg three, Van Gerwen, 37, nailed a superb 113 checkout to lead 2-1.
But before the first of two TV breaks, Littler and Humphries went 3-2 up thanks to a break of throw and the teenager gave it back to the audible whistler who was trying to put him off.
Littler was really riled up at this point and was not afraid to turn round and give it larges to those fans who had been on his back.
Very few people in the world have the capacity to respond to the crowd and not let it affect their performance – but then Littler is one special talent.
The Englishmen moved 6-2 ahead with some relentless darts and then led 7-3 at the second ad break, and this was becoming an embarrassing one-sided affair.
Humphries, 31, had the honours of winning it, on double eight, and the pair embraced in a huge hug as they survived the hype and pressure.
If Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham were watching, then hopefully they felt inspiration before their own tilt at a World Cup this summer.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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