THE LITTLE THINGS
Luke Littler reveals special video message from Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim after World Darts Championship victory
Darts champ also opened up on meeting Sir Alex Ferguson
RUBEN AMORIM recorded a special video for Luke Littler to congratulate him on his stunning world darts success.
Littler – a Manchester United fan – became the sport’s youngest world champion on the night of January 3.
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Eighteen days before his 18th birthday, The Nuke crushed Michael van Gerwen 7-3 in the final at Ally Pally to lift the Sid Waddell Trophy and bank £500,000.
It was a sporting achievement that captured the imagination of the British public.
And Amorim – who replaced the axed Erik Ten Hag as United boss in November – took time out of his busy schedule to send well-wishes to one of the club’s most famous supporters.
Littler told Huw Ware’s new Tops and Tales darts : “Have I met Ruben Amorim? Not yet.
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“But I spoke to the Viaplay (team) from Denmark recently. And I got a message, like a video message, off Amorim saying: ‘Well done.’
“Well done on the world championships. I wasn’t expecting that.”
Littler paraded the trophy at Old Trafford during half-time of the 3-1 home defeat to Brighton last month and was serenaded by the fans.
The world No.2 recalled: “It was just mental. When they messaged my social team (about the invite), I was like: ‘Yeah, just do it.’
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“So, I invited some of the friends, some of the family down. It was supposed to be before the match started but Denis Law had passed away.
“One of the guys at United said that at half-time, there’s still 40,000 to 45,000 people who don’t go up and get a drink.
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“And as soon as I walked onto the pitch, the Stretford End were singing: ‘There’s only one Luke Littler.’ That was massive.
“Then the whole of Old Trafford joined in. That was just mental.”
After he made the 2024 final on his debut appearance – Luke Humphries won the title that night – Littler met up with the United squad at the Carrington training HQ.
And he even played a game of darts with Harry Maguire and Christian Eriksen.
One of his most special moments, however, was meeting the legendary boss Sir Alex Ferguson – winner of a record 13 Premier League titles and two Champions League – on two occasions in the VIP box of Old Trafford.
They first met backstage at the 2-2 Premier League draw with Tottenham on January 14, 2024.
I got a message, like a video message, off Amorim saying: ‘Well done.’ Well done on the world championships. I wasn’t expecting that.
Luke Littler on Ruben Amorim
Yet the broad Scottish accent first proved challenging for the darts star.
Littler – whose favourite player is Argentina forward Alejandro Garnacho – said: “The second time I understood him!
“The first time I went, I didn’t really understand him.
“But at the Brighton game, we went to see him again and he was saying, ‘well done’.
“He was speaking to me and my dad. My dad was speaking to him about the horses.
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“Then he spoke to me about going to Bahrain. So he had seen I had been playing darts in Bahrain.
“So it’s good to see that he knows what I’m doing. Is he a darts fan? I don’t know. But who isn’t a darts fan?”
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