Thousands tune in to watch Luke Littler and girlfriend play FIFA hours after MVG defeat
Luke Littler and girlfriend Eloise Milburn streamed FIFA to a huge audience on Sunday.
Luke Littler’s FIFA stream with girlfriend Eloise Milburn attracted a remarkable three thousand viewers a day after the teenage darts sensation was beaten by Michael van Gerwen on Saturday night. Van Gerwen avenged his Bahrain Masters defeat against Littler earlier this month by beating the 17-year-old in the final of the Dutch Masters.
Littler’s rise to stardom over the last few months has captivated the nation and made the Warrington-born star a cult hero. He reached the final of the World Darts Championship earlier in January before winning in Bahrain.
The youngster has attracted hundreds of thousands of fans along the way, with girlfriend Milburn also thrust into the public eye. Over three thousand people tuned into the couple playing Pro Clubs on EA FC 24 on Sunday.
Littler was the talk of the sporting community during his run at Alexandra Palace. That prompted attention for Milburn, something the 21-year-old initially struggled with. A handy darts player in her own right, Milburn received abuse due to the age gap between her and Littler, who turned 17 on January 21.
It was previously reported that the pair had met while playing Xbox. However, Littler has denied that to be the case, instead revealing that their relationship blossomed after meeting at a tournament in August.
Speaking to The Guardian, Luke The Nuke said: “No! That was a weird story they made up. We met on the development tour in Leicester in August but became friends at the last [tournament] in Milton Keynes.”
Littler says that the abuse directed at Milburn has since been forgotten. The world No 31 says he now employs social media specialists to ensure he no longer sees hateful comments on his Instagram profile.
“We knew people would find out [about their relationship] but it started off very bad,” Littler continued.
“As the weeks go on [the abuse of Milburn on social media] has been almost forgotten. We’ve been talking for a few months now.
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“I’ve brought her along to the worlds, got to the final and whatever people say, they can say it. It’s not going to affect me or my mental strength. I’ve got guys doing my Instagram now and they delete it before I see it.”
Milburn, who joined her boyfriend for the interview, insists her close network of friends and family are supportive of her relationship with Littler.
She said: “The first day I let it get to me a lot. But you learn that as long as the pair of you are happy, that’s all that matters. The people that matter most are supportive of us.”