Luke Littler rise likened to Wayne Rooney as unprecedented year sees him climb 162 places and win more than 1m in prize money [Video]

Luke Littler’s journey from stepping out at Ally Pally for the first time to now is nothing short of remarkable.

The teenage prodigy first stepped on stage last year as a 16-year-old prodigy, unfamiliar to the eyes of the watching world, with a skill set that had been raved about by experts for years.

Littler’s rise has been seismic and he could become a world champion in just one yearCredit: Getty

He was ranked 164th in the world and was without a PDC tour card, but his opening victory over Christian Kist began what proved to be a whirlwind Christmas and New Year for the sensational talent.

Littler attracted huge attention for his incredible run which saw him reach the 2024 World Championship final, but he was denied a fairytale debut tournament by Luke Humphries.

But within the two week period, ‘The Nuke’ became a superstar, a real rockstar of the oche, and earned his permanent place in the world …