NATHAN ASPINALL has revealed his surprise at the tough love handed to Luke Littler from dad Anthony - when The Nuke was just 12.
The Asp first faced world champion Littler over five years ago at a tournament in Chester.
Aspinall was ranked in the world's Top 20 and The Nuke was barely in high school when they battled it out at the oche.
The Asp said: "The first time I came across Luke, I think it was in Chester in a tournament and I beat him 4-3.
"I think he was aged four! No, he was around 12 and wow, I just thought 'Who is this kid?'."
Despite pre-teen Littler almost beating one of the world's best, Aspinall was surprised to see dad Anthony Buckley unimpressed with his son's performance.
He continued: "I remember seeing his dad with him and he was dead critical of him because he'd lost.
"I was thinking mate, he's 12, and I was in the top 16 in the world at that time. I said 'Give him a break'.
"His dad said: 'No, he needs to learn'.
"That hard talk over the years has probably produced one of the best players in our sport.
"He's amazing and what else can you say?"
Littler stunned the world of darts by reaching the PDC World Championship final last January.
The teenager went one step further last week, beating Michael van Gerwen 7-3 to become the youngest ever world champion.
Littler took on Aspinall during his fairytale run to the final, thrashing him 6-1 in the semi-finals.
Prior to their final four contest on New Year's Day, Aspinall claimed he felt like a "big brother" to darts' newest sensation.
READ MORE on all the fall-out from Luke Littler's incredible world title win...
He said: "I see myself as maybe an older brother [to Luke] in the darts world.
"He’s a nice kid. He hasn’t got many mates on the tour because a lot of people are jealous of him – I am not.
“I appreciate what he has done for the game, what he has done for himself and his family. I think he’s a fantastic darts player.
“And the way he has handled himself at 17 with the media - I don’t think many full-grown adults could do what he has done.
"I tip my hat to the guy."
Littler returns to action later this month at the Bahrain Darts Masters.
But the newly-crowned champ is in no rush to pick up a set of darts after a mentally draining three weeks at Ally Pally.
Litler admitted: "I don’t want to practice really. l just want to chill out.
“It’ll probably be the same as last year, leading up to the Bahrain Masters I won’t pick them up."
Here is all the prize money Luke Littler has won so far after being crowned 2025 PDC World Darts Championship winner:
World Championship 2025 - £500,000
World Championship 2024 - £200,000
Grand Slam of Darts 2024 - £150,000
European Tour - £91,000
Player Championships events - £71,500
Players Championship final runner-up - £60,000
UK Open 2023 + 2024 - £17,500
World Matchplay - £10,000
World Grand Prix - £7,500
European Championship - £7,500
(Unranked) Premier League Darts - £315,000
TOTAL: £1.43 million
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