Luke Littler Wants to Beat Luke Humphries to the Big One and Make Darts History
Luke Littler has conquered almost everything professional darts has to offer, but there is still one major trophy missing from his remarkable collection. Now, the world number one heads to Dortmund with a chance to complete the set, and his biggest rival, Luke Humphries, has every reason to believe he can spoil the party.
The European Championship begins on Thursday, October 22, and runs until Sunday, October 25, with £150,000 waiting for the winner. For Littler, however, this tournament is about much more than the prize money. It is an opportunity to achieve something that would place his name alongside two of the greatest players the sport has ever produced.
Speaking to Radio Times ahead of the tournament, Littler made his ambitions clear. He knows Humphries is chasing the same prize, but he also understands that this is his chance to finish a remarkable collection of major titles.
And honestly, if there is one tournament that could bring out the very best in The Nuke, this might be it.
The European Championship Is the Missing Piece in Littler’s Collection
Littler has enjoyed a stunning rise through professional darts, collecting major trophies at a pace that few players could have imagined at his age.
According to Radio Times, the 19-year-old has won 30 PDC singles titles, including the World Championship, World Masters, UK Open, World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, Grand Slam of Darts and Players Championship Finals.
Yet the European Championship remains unfinished business.
Littler explained his feelings about the tournament to Radio Times, saying: “I don’t know how many Luke Humphries needs [to complete the set], but I know he needs the Europeans as well. He recently won the Grand Prix again. Yeah, but yeah, for myself, this is the last one.
“I don’t really want to put pressure on myself because ever since coming on tour, I said I wanted to win one of everything, complete the whole set, and then try and win more and more. That’s what I’ve done in a few others. But yeah, the Europeans are the big one.”
Those words tell us everything about why this competition matters so much to him.
Littler is not simply chasing another title to add to his growing collection. He wants to complete a personal ambition that he set for himself when he began his professional career.
Winning the European Championship would also put him in exclusive company. He is aiming to become just the third player to win all eight traditional darts majors, following Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen.
If he succeeds, he would achieve that milestone at a younger age than either of those legendary figures.
That is a serious piece of history to chase.
Humphries Is the Man Standing in His Way
Of course, Littler will not have Dortmund all to himself.
Humphries has established himself as one of the most formidable players in the sport and has spent the past two years battling Littler for supremacy. Their rivalry has become one of the defining stories in modern darts, with both men capable of producing extraordinary performances under pressure.
There is another interesting twist to this tournament: Humphries is chasing his own piece of history.
According to Radio Times, Cool Hand Luke has won six of the eight traditional majors, with the European Championship and UK Open still missing from his collection.
That means both players have a powerful reason to push themselves over the coming days.
Humphries also arrives with momentum after winning the World Grand Prix earlier this month. That triumph was a welcome boost and demonstrated that he remains capable of delivering when a major title is on the line.
It would be foolish to assume Littler will simply brush him aside.
Humphries knows his opponent’s game, and the pair have shared plenty of big moments on the biggest stages. If they meet in Sunday’s final, the atmosphere could be electric.
My view is that a potential final between these two would be the perfect ending to the tournament. Littler wants to complete his collection, while Humphries has an opportunity to deny his great rival and take another significant step towards completing his own.
That is the sort of storyline darts fans should be excited about.
Littler Has More Than One Obstacle to Overcome
Although Humphries represents a major threat, Littler cannot afford to focus too heavily on a possible final before he has survived the earlier rounds.
The draw places the two Lukes in opposite halves, meaning they cannot meet before the final. However, there are several dangerous opponents capable of ending Littler’s ambitions before Sunday.
His campaign begins against Ireland’s William O’Connor on Friday, October 23. O’Connor is an experienced professional who will understand that facing a superstar creates an opportunity to make a major statement.
Littler is the obvious name attracting attention, but his first-round opponent has nothing to lose by playing aggressively.
According to The Sun’s breakdown of the draw, Nathan Aspinall could await in the second round, with three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen a potential quarter-final opponent.
Wessel Nijman is another possible obstacle later in the tournament.
That is hardly a straightforward route.
Littler is seeded 11th because of his limited participation in European Tour events this season, although he won two of the three continental tournaments he entered. His seeding therefore should not be confused with his ability to win the competition.
Still, the draw leaves little room for complacency.
One poor spell, a missed double at the wrong moment or an opponent producing the performance of his life could end everything.
Littler has the talent to overcome those challenges, but he will need to demonstrate it across multiple matches.
Can Littler Bounce Back From Recent Disappointments?
There is another question surrounding his campaign: how will Littler respond to his recent results?
Radio Times described his recent form as uncharacteristically poor, while DartsNews.com noted that he had not appeared to be at his absolute best in recent weeks.
For a player who has become accustomed to winning, even a short spell below his usual standards can attract enormous attention.
But I would not be rushing to write him off.
Great champions are not defined solely by how they perform when everything is going perfectly. They are also judged by their ability to respond when opponents start finding weaknesses in their game.
Littler has already shown that he can handle pressure on major stages. The challenge now is to rediscover his sharpest scoring and finishing when the tournament demands it.
The European Championship could provide exactly the motivation he needs.
There is a danger, of course, in treating this event as if Littler is guaranteed to win simply because he wants the trophy so badly. Motivation matters, but it cannot replace consistent performances.
The other contenders will be equally determined to lift the title, and several have the experience to take advantage if Littler struggles.
Defending champion Gian van Veen, Gerwyn Price, James Wade and other leading names will all have ambitions of their own.
Littler’s challenge is to make sure the conversation remains about his darts rather than the pressure surrounding his quest.
Why This Tournament Could Define Littler’s Season
The European Championship represents a chance for Littler to turn an already impressive career into something even more extraordinary.
Winning would complete his collection of the eight traditional majors and strengthen his position among the sport’s elite. Losing would not erase what he has achieved, but it would leave an important target unfinished.
That is what makes this tournament so compelling.
At just 19, Littler has already achieved what many professionals spend their entire careers chasing. Yet his comments suggest that he is still hungry for more, and that desire could prove crucial in Dortmund.
Humphries, meanwhile, has the form and ability to make life difficult for him. Their rivalry adds another layer of intrigue, particularly with both men pursuing the same missing trophy.
The question is whether Littler can handle the expectation, navigate a difficult draw and deliver his best darts when it matters most.
If he does, the European Championship could become another historic chapter in his career.
But Humphries and the rest of the field will have something to say about that.
Can Littler finally claim the European Championship and complete his collection of major titles, or will Humphries seize the opportunity to make history himself? Darts fans will have plenty to debate as the action unfolds in Dortmund.