Luke Littler: The 16-year-old darts sensation who took the PDC World Championship by storm

Luke Littler has taken the PDC World Darts Championship by storm on his debut, aged just 16.

The teenager fell just one win short of becoming the sport's youngest world champion when he lost 7-4 to Luke Humphries in Wednesday's exhilarating final at Alexandra Palace.

Littler, who wants to start driving lessons when he turns 17 later this month, has captured the imagination of sports fans who never normally follow darts.

The youngest winner remains Michael van Gerwen, who was 24 years and nine months when he won his first title in 2014, but Littler - who pocketed £200,000 for his historic run to the final - has plenty of time to win the tournament before he is 24.

He even has time to win it multiple times.

BBC Sport takes a detailed look at the sport's brightest young star.

Littler had only played four senior matches at PDC premier events prior to his World Championship debut.

He qualified for the UK Open on his 16th birthday in January 2023 and, in March, reached the fourth round of the competition before being knocked out by Czech youngster Adam Gawlas.

Littler's performances at this year's World Championship have seen him average 100 or more in three of his five matches, making him one of only two players to do so at the tournament.

He became the youngest player to win a match at the World Championship with his first-round win over Christian Kist on 20 December.

Arguably his best victory came against five-time world champion and childhood hero Raymond van Barneveld to reach the last 16.

He followed with an impressive 5-1 quarter-final triumph over Northern Ireland's Brendan Dolan, before Cross was dispatched 6-2 in the final four.

Littler has also become a viral sensation on social media with more than 300,000 Instagram followers, who include footballer James Maddison. The Tottenham Hotspur and England midfielder invited him to watch Spurs' win over Bournemouth with him on Sunday.

Many of the world's best sports stars begin their careers at a young age and Littler was just 18 months old when he threw his first dart.

The youngster, who was born in Runcorn and lives in Warrington, was throwing darts at a magnetic board and has played "non-stop" ever since.

"By the time he was 10 we knew he was too good for his age," Karl Holden, Littler's former coach at the St Helens Darts Academy, told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"He couldn't play in the PDC or the big time until he was 16, so we just let him enjoy himself and he's just worked his way through the ranks.

"He went from under-10s to under-14 leagues and, before he was 11, he was playing in the under-21s, just simply because he was too good for anybody else."

Littler's trophy cabinet has filled up quickly, having already won 12 adult titles and the 2023 PDC World Youth Championship.

At the age of 14, he hit a nine-darter during the Junior Darts Corporation (JDC) Masters Tournament, further demonstrating his undoubted potential.

Holden had no doubt Littler was good enough to win this year's World Championship despite his tender years.

"A lot of people in the darts shop were saying 'who is this Luke Littler?' but I was saying he's a good outside chance," he said.

"Many didn't know who he was, but I think everyone knows who he is now. Every time I put the TV on he is there."

Littler clearly has ability, but his charm and charisma have played a key role in his new-found fame.

And he's lapped up the limelight at this year's event, especially the banter from fans who cheekily chanted "you've got school in the morning" during some of his matches.

He only finished his GCSEs last summer and is now fully focused on his darts career.

After beating Andrew Gilding in the second round, Littler celebrated by treating himself to "a kebab and a can of Tango". He has since been offered free kebabs for life by one London kebab house.

Outside of darts, Littler says he leads a pretty simple life.

"[I] just wake up, play on my Xbox, have some food and have a chuck on the board, go to bed and that's it," he said.

His mum Lisa believes he is ready to win now, telling Sky Sports earlier in the tournament: "I'd like to say he can go all the way because he does pick up his game when he comes up against bigger players."

Littler's form has seen him earn plenty of plaudits from across the world of darts, including five-time World Championship semi-finalist Wayne Mardle.

"He's an absolute darting freak - and that is a term of endearment," said Mardle.

"The world should be standing up and absolutely taking notice of what he's doing."

Littler has moved into the top 32 in the rankings - having come into the tournament as the world number 164 - and is set to earn a one-year professional tour card for 2024.

And he could be given the chance to compete in the Darts Premier League, one of the sport's premier events which takes place at arenas across Europe from February to May.

The tournament is only open to eight players but Littler has suggested it may be a step too far at this stage of his career.

"I've seen what the Premier League does [for your profile]," he said.

"You have Monday, Tuesday pro tours, and then Wednesday is the Euro qualifiers and you've got the Premier League. The weekend is the Euro Tour.

"I think the PDC are going to keep me out of it, because that will just be gruelling like everyone has said."