Phil Taylor has revealed he’s been pestered in the supermarket by fans eager to know his thoughts on teenage sensation Luke Littler.
Littler has become a household name over the past 12 months and, at the start of 2025, secured glory in the World Darts Championship with a 7-3 victory over Michael van Gerwen.
It will be fascinating to see how the 17-year-old’s career pans out, with Littler next in action at the Bahrain Masters tonight.
Taylor, speaking to The Sun, has admitted that the whole world is eager to know more about Littler.
Darts news: Phil Taylor has revealed he’s been pestered in the supermarket by fans eager to know his thoughts on teenage sensation Luke Littler
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And the 64-year-old says he’s been pestered in the supermarket for fans eager to know what he thinks of a player widely compared to himself, while also joking that he’s ‘had enough’.
“Luke has taken darts to another level. Everybody, trust me, is talking about him,” he said.
“I only went to the supermarket on Monday. People asked me: ‘What do you think of this Luke Littler?’
“I normally sit in the car and ask my partner to go in. ‘I don’t want to answer all the questions anymore, I’ve had enough!’
“I might have it 20 times going round the supermarket. The biggest question is: ‘Will he be able to keep it up?’
“I say: ‘Of course, he can. He’s 17.’ It’s all about how he does it. Does he get his rest? Does he avoid burning himself out?
“He has got a good mum and dad around him. His brother is a nice kid. His manager is good. So far he’s doing everything right.”
Taylor then proceeded to compare Littler to a young Wayne Rooney.
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Rooney, at the age of 18, illuminated the European Championships with England back in 2004.
He then established himself as a legend of the game after stints with Everton (x2), Manchester United, D.C United and Derby County.
And Taylor thinks Littler is just like Wayne Rooney, with the darts legend adding: “Luke has a tremendous temperament. He’s a cracking little lad. For a 17-year-old, he’s brilliant.
“Honestly, I have never seen anything like him. Apart from Wayne Rooney.
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Darts news: Phil Taylor has compared Luke Littler to a young Wayne Rooney
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“I can see parallels. They come across as really nice people, which they are.
“But when they’re on that pitch or the dartboard, they are killers! There’s no stopping them.
“You have to go out and beat him. You cannot expect them to play bad against you. Because they won’t.”
Littler has won a staggering £1.43million in prize money during the course of his short career so far.
Darts news: Luke Littler became the youngest world champion in darts history with his World Championship victory over Michael van Gerwen
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He will take part in the Bahrain Masters today hoping to win the title, having done so last year.
Littler is due to face 46-year-old Lourence Ilagan in his opening match today.
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