Luke Littler has carried darts back into the wider sporting conversation, questioning Thomas Tuchel’s handling of Kobbie Mainoo while still fresh from another headline week at Madison Square Garden.
The world No.1, a committed Manchester United supporter, argued that Mainoo should be given a clearer England role after proving himself at Euro 2024. DartsNews reported Littler’s comments from The Rest Is Football Podcast, with the teenager also backing Harry Maguire as a player he felt should have been included.
Littler’s reach stretches beyond the oche
The timing matters. Littler had just been beaten 8-7 by Luke Humphries in the US Darts Masters final, with Sky Sports describing Humphries’ Madison Square Garden title defence as a deciding-leg victory in New York.
He also arrived in the United States as one half of England’s newly crowned World Cup of Darts-winning pair. The PDC confirmed Littler and Humphries defeated the Netherlands 10-5 in Frankfurt to seal the title, turning their partnership into one of the strongest marketable assets in the sport.
That is why a Mainoo comment carries editorial weight for darts. Littler is no longer just reacting as a football fan; he is now a mainstream sporting figure whose opinions travel across audiences, broadcasters and markets.
For the PDC, that crossover remains priceless. Littler’s celebrity keeps pulling casual fans toward darts, even when the subject starts with England’s midfield rather than the treble 20.
