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In Saturday’s PDC World Championship final, Dutchman Gian van Veen takes on Dutchman Luke Littler, who has the chance to cement himself as one of the game’s greats.

Littler, who is only 18 years old, would become one of only six players to have won the title more than once.

At this point, Phil Taylor’s record of 16 titles, two BDO titles, and 14 PDC titles is unknown, but it is certainly a possibility that it might one day emerge.

No one was even remotely surprised when Littler triumphed over 20th-ranked Ryan Searle on Friday to reach his third world title at Alexandra Palace.

Littler quickly rose to the top of the charts after a startling 16-year run to the final, dominating in a way only Taylor and Michael van Gerwen have previously been able to.

They were blatantly unbelievable in their primes, according to them. Littler recalled watching it as a child.

“With what I’ve done, I can almost certainly say that I’m playing just as well with the titles, the averages, and the nine-darters on TV,” he said.

“Perhaps I’ll be on the same level if I get another title on Saturday.”

Littler is already the best player in the world and has shown promise to his rivals.

Former PDC professional Matt Edgar told BBC Radio 5 Live that “he just makes it look easy.”

He has made three World Championship appearances, and there is a chance that he will improve.

He appears to be easing himself while he plays these games, brushing inexperienced players aside.

Littler will undoubtedly continue to be a top player in the world of darts for many years to come.

But who, if anyone, might be able to stop him?

Luke Humphries is frequently regarded as having the highest likelihood.

The teenager has had his share of success recently, winning convincingly in the World Grand Prix and Grand Slam of Darts finals, while Littler’s 2024 world champion is capable of reaching somewhere close to the level shown by him.

The man perhaps, then, who defeated Humphries so convincingly in the World Championship quarter-finals?

Van Veen’s stunning victory over Gary Anderson in a classic semi-final was proof that it could not be ignored.

After not having previously won a match at the tournament, the 23-year-old’s run at Alexandra Palace is remarkable.

Van Veen won his first major PDC title with victory at the European Championship in October, and he is a two-time World Youth Champion after losing to Littler in the 2023 final.

He is now one win away from becoming the third Dutchman to win the Sid Waddell Trophy because of the confidence gained from that success.

Over the past few weeks, Van Veen consistently surpassed 100 and finished nervously on the biggest stage, making every effort to be the potential champion.

It is a far cry from his earlier struggles with dartitis, a condition that prevents players from releasing their darts.

Van Veen told Sky Sports after beating Anderson, “I remember three or four years ago when I was in Barnsley at the Metrodome struggling with dartitis and crying at a table.

What a journey did Edgar make to get to where he was, where he caught the eye, and where did he go before asking, “Can he take those big steps?”

“The big coming-of-age moment was when the title of Europe was picked up a few months ago. When we first noticed that this was a serious contender, we immediately recognized it.

If Van Veen wins on Saturday, he will topple to number two in the PDC world rankings, which he enjoys despite knowing how difficult it will be.

“Over the past few years, everyone has seen what Luke is capable of,” he continued.

“I’m really looking forward to it and hopefully it will be a great game,” he said. “He’s played fantastic in this tournament, and so have I.”

With Van Veen only five years his senior, Littler is only 18 years old, which has the potential to create a fierce rivalry for years to come.

As Littler continues on his path to greatness, darts would undoubtedly benefit from the development of a real rival.

Warning: This article contains discussions of suicide and mental illness.

Marcus Rashford might not be the only Englishman on the pitch when Barcelona play their first La Liga game following the winter break.

Just five years ago, Tyrhys Dolan was playing for non-league side Clitheroe.

He is a key member of the fifth-place Espanyol team now, age 23, and he is a key member.

He will first-time ever experience the intensity of the Catalan derby on Saturday, just like Rashford.

It is another step in a remarkable journey marked by multiple rejections, periods without a club, and dealing with the devastating loss of his best friend to suicide.

By the time Dolan orders his coffee in Spanish, there is already a sense this move is about more than just adapting to a new league.

He says, “I don’t want to come here, and what I can take away is that my pitching skills will improve.”

“I want to let the supporters know that I’m really interested in the culture and the language, and that I want to connect with them so they can understand me both as a player and as a person,” he said.

Dolan, who is from Broadheath in Greater Manchester, joined Espanyol in July after turning down a new contract at Blackburn. A five-year stay at Ewood Park was ended by a difficult choice.

After being released by Preston, Dolan joined Blackburn without a team, and the forward developed strong bonds with team-mates, staff, and supporters.

“They weren’t just colleagues”, he says. They were “family,” they said.

However, Dolan was aware that making sacrifices was required if he wanted to advance.

When asked why he joined Espanyol, Dolan explains that he liked the passion of the club’s fans, which his father’s videos showed him. It was one of the first football leagues to be founded in Spain in 1900.

Dolan says, “I can’t really count how many people have moved from the Championship to La Liga,” adding that it is undoubtedly one of the best leagues in the world.

“For me, that was a statement in itself – a reward for all the hard work I’ve done.

I wanted to pit myself against the best. And when you have such a strong self-assurance, you want to demonstrate your abilities to others. La Liga has the platform for me to show that. “

Espanyol fought back from the end of last season by spending a lot of time battling relegation, but things are different this time around.

Dolan started 13 of Espanyol’s 17 games starting on the wing in 16 of the team’s 16 games. They have won 10 times and are fifth, 13 points behind leaders Barcelona.

He claims that it has been very positive. Everything feels good when the football is playing well. You meet people in the street and it’s all positivity. I’m just embracing it all.

After spending time in academy at Manchester City, Burnley, and Preston, where he signed a scholarship but did not sign a professional contract, Dolan was playing seven leagues below England’s top flight.

Releases, rejections, and lingering uncertainty followed.

” It’s been an unbelievable journey, “he says”. I’m proud of the challenges I’ve overcome.

When you had to navigate the more difficult route through non-league, I believe it makes the outcome sweeter. You’d come in at half-time and players would be eating Haribos for energy… it’s completely different now”.

Dolan claims that leaving them was one of the hardest aspects of his decision to join Espanyol, and that there is a strong family bond that underlies that resilience.

He claims that because of how deeply committed I am to my family, it was a big sacrifice.

That encouragement extends to a friendship that he has kept shaping up.

Dolan grew up alongside Jeremy Wisten – a team-mate and close friend from his academy years.

Dolan says, “He was the best person you could meet, and we did everything together.”

“I was aware of what football meant to him and how it affected his soul.” He lived and breathed football”.

Wisten and Dolan both sought scholarships at the same time, but Manchester City released Wisten after suffering from injuries.

Dolan says it was important because you had to be consistently playing at the time.

“Jeremy kind of knew himself at Manchester City that he wasn’t really going to get a scholarship but he just struggled after that”.

Wisten was 18 when, less than two years after the club’s approval, he committed suicide at his family home in 2020.

Dolan says it was “knowing that he didn’t have that footballer logo,” but for him, it was facing the world.

“When you’re younger, people don’t even say your name. They say, “Oh, there’s the footballer Tyrhys,” or “there’s the footballer Jeremy.” You are a player, not just a human.

” And once you strip that back, you think ‘ well if I’m not that, then who am I? ‘

“It must have been really difficult for him because I know many people around him were playing football well, earning scholarships, signing contracts with organizations, and making their debuts, I suppose, which is one of them.”

When someone is suffering so much and you are succeeding, it’s difficult to tell. It was the most heartbreaking moment of my life. “

Dolan wears the number 24 at Espanyol in Wisten’s honor. He accepted the fact that it was the day his close friend passed away, so he thought it was more than coincidence that it was one of only two squad numbers that were available.

” He’s with me, “says Dolan”. He has realized his ambition. He made it because he plays the same way I do.

Wisten’s death led Dolan to become an ambassador for the Go Again charity, which supports young footballers dealing with the emotional impact of being released from academies.

He wants to provide perspective and reassurance after having experienced that.

Life in Spain has brought new challenges for Dolan.

He says, “The knowledge you’ve got going on the pitch and how much you need to remember are very different.

You have to perform all the set pieces and different routines. You’ve got to remember eight different sequences. I’m constantly thinking, “I don’t want this to go wrong.”

It has opened up a lot of eyes,” she said. It makes you realise you’re not the finished article”.

Dolan has already had some unforgettable experiences.

He felt that he shared his feelings with everyone he knew by playing against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.

“A boy from Broadheath at the Bernabeu”, he says, smiling.

The Catalan derby, one of the fiercest games in Spanish football, is now a landmark.

Dolan can tell when anticipation is building.

“They say you feel it even in the warm-up”, he says. It will be very special, the author declares.

And he won’t be the only one at RCDE Stadium. His dad has been busy fielding ticket requests from friends and family.

He claims that “at the moment, it seems like we have about 25 people coming over.”