Who is Belgian snooker professional Luca Brecel and is he married?
LUCA Brecel put himself in the history books after triumphing at the World Champs in 2023.
But who is he and what has he achieved in his career so far?
Who is Luca Brecel?
Luca Brecel is a Belgian professional snooker player.
He started his career when he was only nine years old and turned professional in June 2011.
Brecel was born in Dislen-Stokkem in Belgium on March 8, 1995.
He is known to snooker fans as The Belgian Bullet - and is also famous for his many tattoos.
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Is Luca Brecel married and does he have any children?
Luca Brecel is in a relationship with Laura Vanoverberghe, 24.
The couple started dating earlier on in 2023.
The pair met through snooker, though he has credited Laura with his happiness away from the table.
Brecel previously dated volleyball player Gaelle Dept.
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He does not have any children.
What are Luca Brecel's snooker accomplishments?
When Brecel was 14 years old he became the youngest ever winner of the European Under-19 Championship for snooker.
He also was the youngest ever player to compete in the World Snooker Championship in 2012 when he was 17 years old, almost two months younger than Scottish player Stephen Hendry in 1986.
Brecel has three titles - the 2017/18 China Championship, 2021/22 Scottish Open and 2022/23 Championship League.
In the final of the China Championship in 2017 he was the first player to win a ranking event from mainland Europe.
He is ranked tenth in snooker standings, as of April 2023.
His highest ranking was in June 2022, when he placed at number nine.
In 2023, he defeated world number one snooker player Ronnie O'Sullivan at the World Snooker Championships at the Crucible in Sheffield.
O'Sullivan said of Brecel: “Such a dynamic player, full of talent.
"Probably the most talented snooker player I have seen."
After making the final, Brecel triumphed over Englishman Mark Selby 18-15, to become the first man from continental Europe to win the world title.
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What is Luca Brecel's net worth?
As of April 2023, Brecel's net worth is $5m (£4m).
On May 1, 2023, he netted £500,000 for winning the World Snooker Championship.