Littler: 'Yamal isn't the best 19-year-old in the world, I am'
Two-time world darts champion Luke Littler compared himself to Barcelona and Spain football star Lamine Yamal, highlighting his dominance in 2026.
Two-time world darts champion Luke Littler compared himself to Barcelona and Spain football star Lamine Yamal, highlighting his dominance in 2026.
The world of sports has recently been stirred by an unexpected debate over who is the best 19-year-old athlete on the planet. English darts player Luke Littler, who at just 19 years old already holds two world championship titles, made a bold claim in an interview with the British tabloid The Sun that he is more successful than football star Lamine Yamal.
Littler (19) not only dominates the darts scene but also the media with his comments. In the interview, he unhesitatingly answered the question of whether he considers himself the most dominant athlete in the world, and his remarks about Yamal, who won the World Cup with Spain this year, drew particular attention.
Although he acknowledged that tennis player Jannik Sinner has had an impressive season capped by winning Wimbledon, Littler is convinced that his own results are even more impressive.
"It's hard to compare sports. Sinner won Wimbledon, but look at how I play, how much I win, and how many trophies I'm lifting. I'm probably the best," Littler told The Sun.
When the topic turned to Lamine Yamal, the young Englishman did not hold back. The Barcelona footballer won the World Cup with Spain this year, but Littler believes his peer cannot measure up to what he has achieved.
"Of course Spain won the World Cup and everyone is talking about Yamal. But what has he actually shown now? Maybe he scored once at the World Cup and had just one assist," Littler stated.
Although Littler downplays Yamal's impact at the World Cup, where the Spaniard indeed recorded one goal and one assist, data from the club season paints a somewhat different picture. According to Goal.com, Yamal last season for Barcelona, despite injury problems, scored 16 goals and provided 12 assists in 28 La Liga appearances.
His trophy haul with the Catalan club is also impressive: three league titles, two Spanish Super Cups, and one Copa del Rey. With the Spanish national team, he has also won the European Championship and the World Cup.
In contrast, Littler's statements are backed by his achievements. In 2026, he has won every major televised PDC tournament and is on track to become the first player to win all the biggest titles in darts in a single year.
Because of this, he sees no one ahead of him among athletes of his generation.
"Is Yamal the best 19-year-old athlete in the world? No. As long as I'm winning tournaments and keep on winning, that's all that matters to me," Littler concluded.
