Wayne Rooney Podcast: Luke Littler on being number one

Wayne Rooney and Luke Littler know what it’s like to be in the spotlight at a young age.

A 16-year-old Rooney made the world sit up and take notice when he scored a stunning late-winner for Everton against Arsenal in 2002.

He joined Manchester United in a £27 million transfer when he was 18 and became Premier League champions by the time he was 21.

Littler, the world number one in darts, was 16 years old when he reached the final of the 2024 World Championship.

He won both the Premier League and World titles at 17, and successfully defended his world title at 18.

At 19 years old, he has 12 major titles.

So when did Rooney and Littler realize they could be among the best at such a young age?

“I’ve always had faith and that’s where I think a lot of comparisons come from [between us]. “I think you have to have a certain level of arrogance to do your best,” Rooney told Littler on the latest episode of BBC Sport’s The Wayne Rooney Show.

“I said this many times when I got into Everton’s first team, I felt like I was a top player at 16.”

Littler’s moment of realization came when he beat players more than twice his age.

“I’ve been playing on a tournament basis for many years, maybe my first proper tournament was around nine, maybe 10,” he said. “And just like Wayne said, when you show some arrogance, the more you do it, of course people might not like it, but as long as you feel comfortable doing it, that’s all that matters.

“When I started playing in pub leagues I started playing against adults and they weren’t too happy about losing to a 10 or 11-year-old kid.

“When I beat them, I was also going to the darts academy in St Annes and I think the young players there were better than these old guys. I almost always won.”

The spotlight shined brighter on Littler when he won the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award in 2024, 22 years after Rooney.

“The press can be confusing, you’re not used to it,” Rooney said.

“And [coming] If you come from an area like the one I think Luke is from, you’re not used to this.

“You’re not used to the media, you’re not used to speaking in front of cameras and that can be scary, but the one thing that always remains is your safe place.

“Mine was on the football field and I imagine his comfort zone is where he plays, that’s where no one can get to him. He’s safe; they can write whatever they want.”

Littler has come under increasing criticism over the last year following a mid-match altercation with Gian van Veen during the quarter-final defeat on night nine of the Premier League in Manchester.

“When I first came on the scene we were always looking at the comments and everything, normally as a family, but now we’ve gotten used to it and blocked it out,” he said.

“I think there’s always negativity in every sport, not just darts and football. Not everyone is going to like you and that’s just the way it is.

“Obviously the ticket paying fans are paying to watch us in person… I think they are the most important because they obviously want to watch us play good darts.

“But with the media, and for the first time after the first one, bringing social media into the mix. [World Championship win in 2025] – It was hard not to bite at people. But now just: Let it go. We’re used to it.”