'They were trying to compete against each other instead of with': Michael Smith says ego cost Littler and Humphries World Cup bid

Michael Smith has admitted that the ego of Luke Littler and Luke Humphries cost the England team the title at the World Cup of Darts. For the England team, that tournament ended in a total deception.

Humphries, number one in the world, and reigning world champion Littler already had to pack their bags in the eighth finals in Frankfurt after an 8-4 defeat against Germans Martin Schindler and Ricardo Pietreczko. This while just about everyone beforehand had designated England as top favorite for the title.

Smith himself captured the title with Humphries just last year, ending England's eight-year drought. However, the former world champion from St Helens believes that this time the 'Lethal Lukes' duo were mostly getting in their own way.

Trying to outdo each other

According to Smith, Humphries and Littler were trying to outdo each other, instead of working together as a team. “The way I’m gonna say it might sound bad for the other two players so I’m trying to reword it before I say it.

“I didn’t have an ego going on the stage. I was world No. 2 at the time and I had just come from world No. 1. Luke Humphries had just taken over and yes, I play him week in and week out, but I was like this is not me against Luke. This is me and Luke Humphries versus everyone else, so I let my ego go to one side.