Luke Littler has once again voiced his ambition to be recognised as the "greatest darts player ever" after a commanding defence of his Betfred World Matchplay crown. His latest triumph has intensified the conversation about how his achievements stack up against the legendary Phil Taylor, whose record‑breaking career set the benchmark for the sport. The 19‑year‑old capped a historic weekend at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens by becoming the first player since Michael van Gerwen to retain the World Matchplay title.
The win added to a remarkable run in which Littler has already captured every PDC major on the calendar for 2026, cementing his status as a generational talent and already eclipsing several milestones once held by his childhood idol, Taylor. Littler’s résumé this season reads like a checklist of the sport’s most coveted trophies.
He entered the year having successfully defended his World Championship and UK Open crowns, and he also claimed the Winmau World Masters, the Premier League, and the World Cup of Darts. With those accolades already under his belt, the teenager now sets his sights on further conquests in the months and years ahead.
"I don’t think anyone has ever won every major in a calendar year, and that’s what we’re pushing for," Littler told Sky Sports. "My family backs me 100 percent – that support drives me. I would love to be the greatest darts player there ever has been.
As I’ve always said, I need to win 16 world titles and then look at whatever else Phil Taylor achieved. I’ve got plenty of years left. When will I retire?
Who knows? I still have a lot of fuel in the tank." His confidence is backed by numbers that rival the sport’s most impressive records. During the Matchplay, Littler posted a tournament‑average of 111.04 across five matches, shattering Taylor’s 2010 benchmark of 106.31. He also broke his own record for the most 180s hit in a single World Matchplay event.
"I’m very happy with myself and the performances, not just in the final but throughout the eight‑day run," he added. "It’s crazy to think the 109 average was actually my lowest figure of the week!" While Littler now holds the trophy that bears Taylor’s name, matching the legend’s total of World Matchplay titles would require him to win the event every year until roughly 2040. To put that into perspective, in 2007—just six months after Littler was born—Taylor suffered a quarter‑final exit at the same venue, marking only the second time that century that "The Power" was beaten at Winter Gardens.
Seven years later, after Littler had finished his second year of primary school, Taylor was still unbeaten at the tournament, completing a seventh consecutive World Matchplay title and a streak of 38 straight wins. No player since has come close to those extraordinary figures.
The statistical comparison between the two stars is striking. Littler’s 111.04 average is the second‑highest tournament winning average in darts history, trailing Taylor’s 111.54 from the 2009 European Championship by a mere 0.5 points, despite Littler playing more than twice the number of legs in that week. "I can still get better," Littler insisted after his press conference. "At one point I was up to a 120 average, but I didn’t hold it.
Maybe in a few years I’ll be able to sustain that level right to the final. Right now I’m playing some of my best darts and I just need to keep it up." Former world champion Gerwyn Price described Littler as "one in a million," and his peers have showered him with praise for what many consider an extraordinary run in an era of deepening competition.
PDC chief executive Matt Porter echoed this sentiment, noting that Littler’s dominance over the past twelve months mirrors Taylor’s own era of supremacy. "He’s already earned £3 million in prize money – a figure we’ve never seen before. The mindset of opponents today is different; players like Gerwyn Price, Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen, and the rest aren’t content with just reaching a final.
Littler is almost unstoppable at the moment. Nobody is truly unstoppable, but anyone who wants to beat him will have to raise their game dramatically." Looking ahead, Littler faces further title defenses at the Boyle Sports World Grand Prix (28 September‑4 October) and the Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts (14‑22 November). He already sits atop the PDC rankings with a record‑breaking margin. A win at the European Championship (22‑25 October) would give him his elusive TV‑ranked title, and capturing the remaining three majors – the World Grand Prix, Grand Slam, and Players Championship Finals (27‑29 November) – would complete a clean sweep of every major and marquee televised event in a single calendar year.
For context, Taylor’s own 2009 season, while spectacular, did not include a Premier League title or a World Cup of Darts victory (the latter was introduced in 2010). Michael van Gerwen’s dominant 2016 campaign also missed out on World Cup glory.
Littler therefore has a genuine opportunity to surpass both legends by securing those missing pieces. In recent weeks Littler has been selective about his ProTour schedule, even skipping some events to keep his qualification for the Players Championship Finals uncertain. However, his recent triumph and his aspiration to win every major this year have prompted a reassessment of his plans. "Coming into the tournament I’d already won every major, so this is what I wanted to do," he explained.
"I’ve been watching the Pro Tour rankings – the 64th spot, which is the final qualification place, keeps moving up. There are four Players Championship events in Leicester I need to attend. If I don’t qualify I’ll get grilled, and if I do I’ll get grilled anyway, so who knows what will happen." In just over two and a half years as a professional, Littler has already secured his place among the sport’s greats.
The prospect of him continuing to improve, chasing more records, and possibly eclipsing the achievements of both Taylor and van Gerwen is both thrilling and a little intimidating for his rivals. Fans can follow his quest for further TV silverware on Sky Sports, with live coverage of the World Grand Prix, Grand Slam of Darts, and the World Darts Championship, all available for streaming without a contract.