Luke Littler has made it clear, retirement isn’t even close to being on his radar.
The 18-year-old darts sensation shut down any rumours sparked by fellow player Nathan Aspinall, who suggested Littler could be done with the sport in five years. Littler’s response? Not a chance.
“I know I’ve heard that, I don’t know where he’s got that from, don’t worry, I’ll be here in 10 years,” Littler said in a confident tone ahead of the Premier League Darts play-offs at London’s O2 Arena on Thursday (29 May 2025).
Since bursting onto the scene in 2024 with a jaw-dropping run to the PDC World Championship final at just 16, ‘The Nuke’ has taken the darts world by storm. He didn’t just stop there, he became the youngest-ever winner of the tournament in early 2025, making history and proving he’s no one-season wonder.
The idea of walking away from the sport now seems laughable to him. “It’s crazy to even think about retiring. If I win 16 world titles like Phil (Taylor), I’ll retire, but I’m not even thinking about retirement at the minute,” he said. “The money is there to be won, especially the World Championship, but not only that, everything has gone up.”
Littler seems motivated not just by success but by the competition and hunger still very much alive in him. “It is all about what you’re feeling and I’m sure I’ll be here for a long time,” he added.
If anything, Littler’s only concern seems to be the constant pressure of being the man to beat. Since his first appearance on the professional circuit, he’s been a marked man. “For the last 18 months there’s been a target on my back. Since I first came on tour and made the World Championship final, I just knew,” he explained.
“From the moment I walked into my first Pro Tour floor comp, I knew everyone wanted to beat me. That is still the same now. There will always be a target on my back and I know if I’m not on my A-game, they will catch me out.”
But that target doesn’t seem to be slowing him down. If anything, it’s fueling his drive to stay at the top. Littler is looking to defend his Premier League Darts title and solidify his place as one of the best young players the game has ever seen.
Luke Littler retirement talk might have been good for headlines, but the man himself is focused on trophies, not timelines. At just 18, he’s already rewriting records and has his eyes set on a long and dominant career.
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