Emerging Talent Luke Littler Joins the Ranks of Sporting Prodigies

Sixteen-year-old darts prodigy Luke Littler's life has been transformed despite narrowly missing out on a history-making world title. Previously relatively unknown, Littler has now soared to international fame following his remarkable performance in this year's World Darts Championship, culminating in a fairytale journey to the final on Wednesday.

Littler's performance against world No. 1 Luke Humphries displayed a remarkable ability and maturity that exceeded his young age. This breakthrough is reminiscent of several other teenage talents who have made a significant impact in their sports on the world stage. CNN Sport explores a few of these rising stars.

Soccer

The worlds most popular sport is played by millions around the world, making it easily accessible to young talent.

Several teenagers have achieved great success at a young age, but Littler's accomplishments have been compared to the early rise of a notable English phenom.

Wayne Rooney was also just 16 when he made his senior debut for Everton, and similar to Littler, he appeared to possess a maturity beyond his years.

Later in that season, at just 16 years old, the English striker scored an incredible goal against Arsenal, making a significant impact on the world stage.

It was a bold move, a powerful shot from long distance that flew past goalkeeper David Seaman. After witnessing Rooney's performance, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger praised the young player as the "greatest English talent" he had ever seen, expressing his hope that the teenager could handle the spotlight.

Wayne Rooney celebrates scoring a memorable goal against Arsenal.

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It's fair to say that Rooney handled the additional pressure quite effectively. Upon signing with Manchester United in 2004, he immediately made an impact by scoring a hat-trick in his first game, ultimately propelling him to global stardom.

He finished his career as the all-time top scorer for Manchester United and England. The latter record has been surpassed by Harry Kane. However, one could argue that the most thrilling and successful teenage prospect in the history of the Beautiful Game was the Brazilian legend, Pelé.

Pelé began his career at Brazilian club Santos, scoring his first goal before turning 16. However, it was his outstanding performances for the national team that truly captured the world's attention. In 1958, at just 17 years and seven months old, Pelé became the youngest person to play in a World Cup, where he did more than just participate - he excelled.

At a young age, the rising star led Brazil to victory by scoring the only goal in the quarterfinal, achieving a hat-trick in the semifinal against France, and securing two goals in the final against Sweden. This outstanding performance paved the way for what is still considered as the greatest career in the history of the game.

Tennis

Tennis is another sport which has seen plenty of young phenoms make a splash at the biggest events.

At only 18 years old, British sensation Emma Raducanu shocked the world with her victory in the 2021 US Open. She made history as the first qualifier, male or female, to win a grand slam in the Open Era. In a thrilling match, she defeated Canadian Leylah Fernandez 6-4 6-3 in the first all-teen final since 1999 at Flushing Meadows.

The Brit went on an incredible run throughout the tournament, not dropping a set in nine matches, and looked a shoo-in for future success on the circuit.

Maria Sharapova celebrates winning Wimbledon when she was just 17.

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Radacanu has not been able to reach the same level of success since, dealing with injuries and the challenges of competing in the professional tour.

Another teenage sensation on the women's tour was Maria Sharapova, who made a name for herself by winning Wimbledon at the age of 17 in 2004, defeating Serena Williams in the final.

A year later, Sharapova reached the top of the world rankings for the first time. She clinched two French Open titles, one Australian Open, and a US Open title, in addition to her Wimbledon victory.

However, in 2016, she was found to have tested positive for the prohibited substance meldonium at the Australian Open. Initially banned from the sport for two years, her punishment was later reduced to 15 months after an appeal. Upon her return, she was unable to match her previous level of success, eventually retiring from the sport in 2020.

Basketball

The NBA is one of the most competitive leagues in the world of sport, but a number of teenagers have found their place amid its storied ranks.

LeBron James, who caused quite a commotion during his high school years, made his NBA debut for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003 at just 18 years old. In his first game, he scored 25 points, had nine assists, and six rebounds.

Even though his first performance didn't guarantee his team the win, it was a promising indication of his future success. James was later awarded the NBAs Rookie of the Year after his first season. Now, with 21 years in the league, he has accumulated four NBA titles, four MVP awards, and in February 2023, he achieved the status of the league's all-time leading scorer, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record that stood for 39 years.

LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers goes for a dunk in 2003.

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If James had needed guidance on navigating the league as a teenager, he should have looked at the career of Kevin Garnett, another talented player who made a big impact at a young age.

In 1995, a 6-foot-11 big man made history by becoming the first player in 20 years to be drafted into the NBA straight out of high school. At the age of 19, he made his debut for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Throughout his career, the 15-time All-Star left a lasting impact on the league, culminating in an NBA title win with the Boston Celtics in 2008.

NBA fans will now be keeping an eye on current teenage phenom Victor Wembanyama to see if the French 19-year-old can live up to those prodigies that went before him.

Swimming

As a teenager, Katie Ledecky had no trouble competing on the global stage as a swimming sensation. At the age of 15, she represented the United States at the 2012 Olympics in London, where she secured a gold medal in the 800m freestyle. Her success continued with four gold medals at the 2014 World Championships, just two years later.

The swimmer has accumulated a total of seven Olympic gold medals and 21 world titles, solidifying her status as the most decorated female swimmer in history and one of the greatest swimmers of all time, regardless of gender. Additionally, Ledecky continues to hold the women's world records for the 800m and 1,500m freestyle.

Katie Ledecky winning gold at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

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Snooker

While snooker may not appeal to everyone, it requires metronomic accuracy and the ability to remain calm under pressure, making it similar to darts. And no one is better at it than legendary Ronnie O'Sullivan. Despite not being a household name globally, he is widely considered the most talented snooker player of all time.

His unparalleled career, much like Littler's, began in childhood. At just 10 years old, O'Sullivan was effortlessly achieving feats on the table that even seasoned professionals sometimes find challenging.

Ronnie O'Sullivan, aged 10, was already beating adults.

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In 1993, he achieved a breakthrough by winning the UK Championship at the young age of 17, triumphing over renowned players like Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry. Throughout his historic career, he would continue to win eight UK Championships, with his most recent victory occurring in early December of last year. Additionally, he holds a joint modern-era record of seven world titles.

OSullivan has been recognized for attracting a new audience to the sport, with his dynamic playing style reminiscent of Littler's darts, contributing to the game's increased popularity. This year's World Darts Championship final drew a record audience of over 4.8 million viewers, marking it as the most-watched darts event in history.

It is uncertain whether Littler will be able to accomplish even a fraction of what these other athletic prodigies have achieved, but one thing is certain: the world will be closely watching every move made by this remarkable dart player.