Luke Littler has struck back at Neil Duff on social media after the veteran darts player mocked England's World Cup of Darts exit.
The reigning world champion posted screenshots on social media targeting Duff, who had earlier taunted England's performance.
The 17-year-old's retaliation came after Duff crashed out of the Modus Super Series on Saturday, suffering a 4-1 defeat to Wales' Martin Thomas. Littler seized the moment to respond to Duff's earlier jibe about England's tournament failure.
The teenager shared screenshots showing Duff's mocking Facebook post alongside the result of his heavy loss, adding his own caption that mirrored the Northern Irishman's original taunt.
Duff had posted "How's England doing?" on Facebook following England's 8-4 defeat to Germany in the World Cup of Darts last 16. The 52-year-old's mockery clearly struck a chord with Littler, who bided his time before delivering his response.
Luke Littler has faced a lot of backlash after the World Cup of Darts
ReutersWhen Duff was thrashed by Martin Thomas in the Modus Super Series, Littler posted screenshots capturing both the veteran's original Facebook taunt and his subsequent defeat. The world champion added his own caption: "How's Neil Duff doing?"
The timing of Littler's retaliation was particularly pointed, coming immediately after Duff's poor performance.
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Littler and Luke Humphries had formed a formidable partnership for England at the World Cup of Darts in Germany, but their campaign ended abruptly with an 8-4 loss to the host nation.
The defeat came in their opening match against Martin Schindler and Ricardo Pietreczko in the round of 16.
The early exit sparked widespread criticism from former players and fans, with many questioning the performance of England's star pairing. Both world champions have since responded to their critics rather than remaining silent about the backlash.
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Luke Littler fired back at Neil Duff's criticism online
Instagram @lukethenukelittler
The tournament disappointment was particularly stinging given the high expectations surrounding Littler and Humphries, who between them hold significant titles in the sport.
Their loss to Germany opened the floodgates for commentary from various quarters of the darts community.
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This incident follows a similar pattern from earlier in the week when Littler responded to criticism from two-time world champion Dennis Priestley.
Priestley had questioned whether Littler and Humphries deserved their MBE honours, stating: "To be brutally honest, I don't think either Luke Littler or Luke Humphries have done enough to earn their MBEs just yet."
Dennis Priestley claimed Luke Humphries and Luke Littler 'let their country down'PAThe darts legend suggested the recognition came too early in their careers, despite both having won world championships.
Priestley also claimed the pair had "let their country down" at the World Cup, a comment that appeared to particularly irritate Littler.
The teenager's willingness to confront his critics on social media demonstrates a defensive streak when faced with public criticism, whether about tournament performances or honours received.
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