Luke Littler eyes swift England victory over Panama
Luke Littler is hoping England make light work of Panama on Saturday night, because he wants to leave the World Cup match early, reports BritPanorama.
The teenage darts sensation will be at the MetLife Stadium for the Three Lions’ final Group L fixture after being invited by FIFA, but already has plans to attend another sporting event taking place later that evening. Littler is also due at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn for a boxing card and admits he is eager for Thomas Tuchel’s side to secure a convincing victory as quickly as possible.
The 19-year-old joked that an emphatic England win would help him avoid traffic and make it across New York in good time. “I am hoping we can go three or four nil up so I can ‘back-door it’ and miss the traffic because I’ve got to go to the Barclays Center to watch the boxing,” Littler said.
As England heads into the Panama clash, they need a victory to guarantee top spot in Group L, although a draw might suffice to finish above Ghana and Croatia. Littler has not only enjoyed success on the international stage this summer—he and teammate Luke Humphries secured a victory in the World Cup of Darts in Germany earlier this month, defeating the Netherlands in the final—but he also hopes the football team can follow suit.
“Me and Luke have done our job and now it is down to the England boys,” Littler remarked. The back-to-back world champion has cultivated a close relationship with the England squad in recent months, having previously visited Tuchel’s camp to help organise the ‘Three Lions Darts Championship’ during the international break. He expressed gratitude for receiving tickets to the World Cup from FIFA.
Moreover, Littler has noted the growing embrace of darts culture among England supporters in North America, exemplified by the inclusion of the iconic darts anthem “Chase the Sun,” which was played whenever England scored during the tournament. “It’s good to see,” he said. “It’s the main song in darts and hopefully we can score a few goals and celebrate.”
As England fans look forward to their team’s performance and the darts star’s evening plans, this intersection of sport highlights a unique camaraderie, reminding everyone that in the world of prestigious tournaments, timing can be everything.
