THIS is everything Luke Littler said in his 18-minute press conference that followed defeating Michael van Gerwen 7-3 in the PDC World Darts Championship Final at Alexandra Palace last night.

He discussed how he was feeling after becoming world champion, his tears on stage, what he was feeling when he threw the winning arrow, his future in the sport and where he will be keeping the huge and heavy Sid Waddell Trophy.

Q: World darts champion, try to put that feeling into words for us?

Littler: Since the winning double, I just can’t believe it. Walking round back stage with it I can tell myself I’ve won it and it’s mine but it’s not sunk in.

Q: How does it feel to be the youngest ever world champion?

Littler: I knew it would be my first, but to be the youngest – if it didn’t happen, I still had plenty of years – but I’m glad to do it tonight.

Q: Runner-up last year, so to come back and win it what a journey it has been?

Littler: Yes. Since the Ryan Meikle game I’ve settled and felt like I was at home. I just settled so well throughout the tournament and tonight I didn’t feel any nerves until the last leg when I started shaking a bit. I said to myself “You’ve not shook all game, don’t do it now.”

Q: We’ve spoken about how you and Michael van Gerwen are frontrunners so how important was it to build an early lead?

Littler: To win the first set was crucial, and to break his throw and then hold my own to go 2-0 up. When I was 4-0 up I started believing.

Q: To beat an all-time great like Michael van Gerwen in the final does that make it all the more special for you?

Littler: Yeah, with what he’s done for the sport and obviously he was hungry for his fourth (world title). But obviously I’ve picked up my first and stopped him from doing that.

Q: And the only thing you’ve seemed to struggle with tonight was lifting that trophy – how heavy is it?

Littler: So you’re telling me I was good on my doubles – get in! Yes, it is heavy.

Q: 17-years-old, world champion, ranked world number two, what’s next for Luke Littler?

Littler: No idea. It’s been a long two to three weeks in London. I just can’t wait to go home and get in my own bed.

Q: You’ve got a new best friend with that trophy beside you, is it every feeling that you thought it would be?

Littler: As soon as the winning double went in, I couldn’t believe it. I was fine, but then when I looked up, looked into the crowd and everyone was up on their feet, that’s when the tears came. And I looked over to my family who were in tears as well and it was then that I knew it was mine.

Q: How many times have you thought about this moment, how long have you dreamt about this?

Littler: Everyone wants to lift this one. I think I’m the 12th or 13th person to do it. And obviously I’m the youngest. But from watching many, many finals over the years to now add my name to the list it means a lot.

Q: Knowing you’ve now got this trophy at home, you’ve got this feather in your cap, what’s it going to do for you moving forward?

Littler: It’s probably just going to go in the living room on the floor. Just to see it and know that it’s mine, I can’t wait. And if 2025 doesn’t go well, I’ve started the year off well either way.

Q: You’ve’ taken everything one step at a time, but now you can enjoy it. How do you plan to enjoy it?

Littler: Not only have I enjoyed this, I’ve enjoyed the whole of the first year on tour in 2024. To win the first (senior title) in Bahrain was massive, but then to add and add on to it and now starting the new year well.

Q: How much did the heartbreak of last year as runner-up shape your whole year and going into this final?

Littler: Like I said, everyone wants to lift it but to come back and prove myself right by doing the right things, that’s what I did tonight – scoring the doubles and even the two-dart combinations were massive tonight.

Q: Is now about chasing Luke Humphries down as world number one, is that something you want to concentrate on?

Littler: Yes. I know Luke has got a lot to defend this year but I’ve got to focus on myself, get my ranking money up. I think me and Luke are ok for the World Cup.

Q: Will you now tell us all that you’re the best player in the world?

Littler: I won’t say I’m the best. Maybe stats wise I might be the best, but I’ll never say it.

Q: How old were you when you first thought you’re really good at it and one day this could all be yours?

Littler: I’ve been doing this since I started off aged 18 months, with a nappy on and a magnetic board. I’ve just kept at it. When I used to say to my mates I’ve got a darts competition, they’d say ‘Darts?’. And I’d say ‘Yeah, darts, have you not seen it? Me and my family have come a long way.

Q: Your family were up there celebrating with you, and your parents were very emotional, have they had chance to properly tell you their emotions around this?

Littler: No, they’ve not told me how they’re feeling, but I know how they’re feeling – it’s just the same as me, and what we’ve achieved over the years. What my mum and dad have done for me I can’t thank them enough?

Q: How will you celebrate this tonight specifically?

Littler: I’ve got no idea. Get my head down and get some sleep. And then I know I’m finally going home tomorrow.

Q: Everyone knows what Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor achieved, you’re only 17 and you’ve got the first one in the bank, what can we expect of you in the future?

Littler: Add on to it, maybe get a few more. If I want the 16, I’m sure I could possibly achieve it.

Q: How will you continue to improve yourself, to make progress in the future?

Littler: I’ll just try and win as many titles as I can this year. I won 10 last year, I’ve started the year off with one, but maybe try to add on to the 10 – maybe win 11 or 12 or even more.

Q: Apart from darts, do you have other life plans?

Littler: I wouldn’t say ‘plans’. Within the next 24 hours I know I’ll be in my home in bed.

Q: When will you rewatch this final against Michael van Gerwen?

Littler: No idea. It won’t be tonight, it won’t be tomorrow. I’ll be sleeping. But I’m sure I will watch it, probably just by myself in my bedroom.

Q: Where would you rank this in the sporting achievements that have happened in the world?

Littler: For myself, it’s at the top. It has to be. I’ve said previously that the nine-darter in the Premier League Final against Luke Humphries was the best, but this couldn’t be topped if I won five Premier Leagues, five World matchplays. The world title is the best feeling ever.

Q: You’ve achieved so much in such a short space of time, is one of the challenges for you going to be hunger? Do you know within yourself you’re going to continue having that motivation to keep turning up and winning?

Littler: Deep down, if I really want it, and with my ability I’m sure I can achieve a lot more. I know I’m in this for a long, long time.

Q: You said on stage you watched last year’s final earlier today, can you tell us why you watched it, what it gave you and did it kind of inspire you tonight?

Littler: I kind of knew what went wrong last year. So it was just to recap and go over what I’d done wrong. It was probably the right thing to do for myself. The ‘double two’ moment was huge, but I’ve said to my family that if I was 5-2 up I’d said to myself I was pretty much the world champion but obviously Luke went on to win the next five sets and picked up the trophy. But picking up the trophy this year and starting the year off well is really good.

Q: You were 4-2 ahead last year and you couldn’t finish it off, this year you didn’t allow Van Gerwen to get back into the game. Can you just describe what you did differently after going 4-1 ahead?

Littler: I don’t think I did anything differently but to come out after the break, seeing the fans stood up singing along, you just ‘get involved with it’. At 4-0 up I had to stick at it because I knew Michael was right behind me the whole way through.

Q: What did Michael say to you after the match?

Littler: After it, I think he said ‘well done’. When we were on the side and he saw me crying, he said ‘Keep crying boy, keep crying.’

Q: How much respect does Michael deserve?

Littler: He deserves quite a lot of respect for this world championships. Everyone was looking at me and Luke Humphries, but to look at Michael’s side of the draw it wasn’t easy. And it wasn’t easy for myself. So for us two to get to the final it was a big achievement and for me to come through as the winner it’s even better.

Q: Are you going to take the trophy around Old Trafford at some point?

Littler: If they allow me to, then I’m sure I’ll go to Old Trafford – yes. I’m glad I beat Stephen Bunting yesterday because I’m pretty sure he’d have been taking it to Anfield on the weekend.

Q: Did you watch the entire final from last year?

Littler: Yes, there was like a livestream on YouTube. I thought there’d only be highlights but they streamed the whole game. I watched it around dinner time.

Q: There were a couple of kids on stage you were signing for, did you know those children?

Littler: No, they were fans but they had my top on. Last year there weren’t many young kids here, but now there’s so many and for them to be representing my darts shirt it means the world.

Q: You’ve inspired a whole generation and you’ll probably be facing some of them in 10 years’ time, and they’re all inspired to pick up dart boards because of what you’ve done?

Littler: It’s been massive. It’s been good for Target to bring out the magnetic dart boards because that’s what I started on. But to bring out my own design of a magnetic dart board and see them all over – Smiths Toys, Argos – it’s good to see.

Q: Talk us through that match-winning dart. You missed a couple, but obviously then hit it, so what was going through your head at that time?

Littler: It was double 16, and not the double I would most go for. I don’t think I went for it once in that game until the end. But he was right behind me the whole way through, and he was then. After I threw the first dart I was like ‘just hit it’ and then the next one went in at the very top and that’s when I let all my emotions out.

Q: What went through your mind that led to those tears?

Littler: Initially, after I’d celebrated, it was ‘what have you just done?’. But to look at the crowd on their feet, to look at my family, that’s when the tears came.

Q: You’ve gone on to do so much since you were here 12 months ago, do you feel like the same man as you were then?

Littler: I’m probably the same but this world championships especially I’ve let my emotions out, and I’ve ‘give it big’ after a 180 or a big checkout. Usually I’m probably too nice on the board but it was good to let my emotions out throughout the tournament.

Q: Is there anything outside of sports that you think has led to your success as a player and as a person?

Littler: Just mainly my mum and dad, paying for the youth tournaments and all that stuff. And my manager Martin came along during lockdown which was a good decision.

Q: Are you going to put the darts away for a while or will you be practicing?

Littler: It will probably be the same as last year. Leading up to the Bahrain Masters I won’t pick them up.

Q: Do you feel like you were born to be world champion?

Littler: I wouldn’t say ‘born’, because I was mainly focusing on football but the past six to seven years when I’ve fully taken it on and focused on it, then yes.

Q: Half a million pounds, surely there has to be a big purchase on the horizon for yourself?

Littler: There probably will be when I get my head round the amount of money I’ve just picked up. I’ve said before in an interview I don’t really like talking about the money, but it’s there.”