“I couldn’t do it” – Phil Taylor was amazed at what Luke Littler did after winning the World Darts Championship

Phil Taylor has been astonished by Luke Littler’s lack of training after the World Championships.

The teenage sensation beat Michael van Gerwen to claim the biggest award of his short career so far.

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Littler, 17, has not bowled in training since after being given a well-deserved rest after beating the Dutchman 7-3 in a thrilling Ally Pally final.

His first match as ‘World Champion’ will be this evening in the first round of the Bahrain Darts Championship.

Taylor insisted there was “no chance” of following Littler’s lead in terms of not coaching.

He told SunSport: “I couldn’t do it. Not me. Not a chance. I used to win the world championship and I was on the training board the next day.

“Even if it’s just for half an hour. I could be tiptoeing around and then take two days off and that would set me back two weeks.”

“I had to train. Luke might be more natural than me.

“It’s like when you go to the gym, if you have a few weeks off, it takes about a month to get back into it.

“When you win a World Series, you put a bullseye on your back. You have to play outside your skin.”

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“Bahrain will be a big test for young Luke. Let’s see how he progresses.

“I can’t wait to watch him. The pressure will be on him to perform and play well, and I’m sure he will.

Luc Littler Prize Money Distribution

Here’s all the prize money Luke Littler has won so far after being crowned the winner of the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship:

World Championship 2025 – £500,000

World Championship 2024 – £200,000

Grand Slam of Darts 2024 – £150,000

European Tour – £91,000

Players Championship Events – £71,500

Second place in the Players Championship – £60,000

UK Open 2023 + 2024 – £17,500

World Match – £10,000

Global Grand Prize – £7,500

European Championship – £7,500

(Unrated) Premier League Arrows – £315,000

Total: £1.43 million

The Power, 64, admits his shopping trips are constantly interrupted by punters wanting to stop and talk to him about The Nuke while picking out the most edible fruit and veg!

Taylor – the sport’s greatest player with 16 world championships – is full of admiration for the young Littler, who sensationally lifted the Sid Waddell Cup this month at the age of 17.

Rooney was 16 when he made his breakthrough in the Premier League – scoring that goal against David Seaman in October 2002 while playing for Everton – and he made his England debut four months later as a 17-year-old.

“Luke has a tremendous temperament,” he said. He’s a cracking little boy. For a 17-year-old, he’s great.

“Honestly, I’ve never seen anything like it before. Except for Wayne Rooney.

“I can see the similarities. They come across as really nice people, and they are.”

“But when they’re on the field or at the plate, they’re killers! There’s no stopping them.

“You have to go out and beat it. You can’t expect them to play bad against you. Because they won’t.”

Taylor’s love affair with the sport he dominated has grown thanks to Littler’s extraordinary exploits over the past 13 months.

While he may have missed it in the past, especially in the years immediately following his retirement from the professional ranks in 2018, he is now glued to the sport on television.

However, he finds his visits to the supermarket taking longer and longer due to Littler’s appearance.

“Luke has taken the game of darts to another level,” Taylor said. Everyone, believe me, is talking about it.

“I just went to the supermarket on Monday. People asked me: ‘What do you think of this Luke Littler?’

“I usually sit in the car and ask my partner to come in. ‘I don’t want to answer all the questions anymore, I’ve had enough!’

“I’ve probably been to the supermarket 20 times. The biggest question is: Will he be able to keep going like this?

“Of course, he can,” I say. He is 17 years old. It’s all about how he does it. Will he get comfortable? Does he avoid burning himself?

“He has a good mother and father around him. His brother is a nice kid. His manager is good. So far he’s doing everything right.”

Fans can watch Taylor live on Pluto TV on Saturday as he commentates on Legends League in the Modus Super Series.

The Pluto TV streaming service will exclusively feature Super Series tournaments, 104 live games each week, and in-depth features and documentaries.