Not since the combining of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard had two Englishmen clicked at the 2006 World Cup and thus proved uncoordinated on German soil.
Luke Humphries And Luke Littler Arrived in Frankfurt as the top two players in the world and red -hot favorites for the PDC World Cup Darts.
The expectations were so high that they would overcome that Phil Taylor Said they had to get the trophy before an arrow was even thrown in anger.
But World Cups can cause all kinds of surprises and discombobulating displays – as the Golden Generation of England found for their costs 19 years ago.
Gerrard and Lampard were among the best midfielders in their era, target core machines for Liverpool And Chelsea.
But despite their talents given by God, it never really worked for them when they put on a shirt of three lions.
Humphries and Littler are the best darts Players of this era, but they were Crushed in their opening match by the Germans.
So why didn’t it work? Why did it go wrong so spectacularly?
Well, Underdogs Martin ‘The Wall’ Schindler and Ricardo ‘Pikachu’ Pietreczko Rose To the challenge Superly, winning their second round Tie 8-4 on Saturday evening.
There is history Between the two Lukes and Pesky Pietreczko – Littler crashed with him in last year’s Belgian Darts OpenAnd Humphries gave it back to German fans in Ally Pally after he eliminated the star born in Berlin.
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The hostility that greeted the English duo when they walked away was unusual for darts – So don’t underestimate the impact that had on the number 1 seeds.
The sound was earrolling and we all know that Littler has little time for Deutschland fans.
Twice earlier, in Berlin and Munich, Littler was unhappy with the reception he received from Gokkers.
The last time it happened during Easter, he continued Instagram He was happy that he would not be back in the country to Dortmund in October, apparently forgotten everything about the World Cup in June.
He is perhaps the world champion and a global icon, but we forget that Littler is still only 18.
De Nuke stormed out of the stage, albeit after shaking hands, and just like when he was the Premier League final for hand luke too cool, He shows his emotions when things go against him.
But if NFL Legendary coach Vince Lombardi once said: show me a good loser and I will show you a loser.
Parallels can be made with another England midfielder, Jude BellinghamWho is a fantastic talent, but is susceptible to eruptions and tantrums at difficult moments.
Littler is not yet in the same competition, but this is a huge setback in his career – his first senior England Endorning in the midst of a cacophony of anger and regret.
It was so empty that, the day after they were recognized in the King’s Honors list, Air Sportpundit Wayne Marde joked: “How fast can Mbes are removed? “
What told was the observation made by Gerwyn Pricewhose Wales Silk lost 10-9 from Northern Ireland In the final.
In one of the revealing interviews This year the Iceman claimed “waste” England Missing “a connection” and had no “companionship of the stage”.
He said: “When all the teams showed up for the first time on the first day, the only two players who did not come together did not play, did not play as a team.
“You have to pop up together. You have to be as a team. You practice together, you sit together, it’s a team ethics.
‘It was not shown with England And it turned out on the board. They are great players individually. But you have to be a team. “
World No. 1 Humphries and reigning world champion Littler are always so polite and respectful on stage, which fists each other’s high cash registers.
But is it all a facade? Are they really as compatible of the Oche when they matter? Can they ever put their fierce rivalry aside for this team format?
Humphries is 12 years older than Littler and is like one big brother But if the price is good, they will have to work on their connection in a team situation.
They came to Germany As front runners of the bookmakers but were gone after 12 legs.
Gerrard and Lampard have managed at least four games together at the World Cup 2006 for their quarter -final Exit.
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