I became PDC World Darts champion… then a text from a World Cup winner made my cry while I was sat on the TOILET

ONE of the craziest things that has happened to Michael Smith during his one-year reign as PDC World Darts champion occurred while sitting on the TOILET.

As he aimlessly flicked through his mobile phone feed, while “minding my own business” on the loo, a text message from a football World Cup winner flashed up that almost made him CRY.

GETTYMichael Smith became the King of Ally Pally in January[/caption]

GETTYSmith was overcome with emotion after beating Michael van Gerwen[/caption]

GETTYBut a text message from World Cup winner Toni Kroos sent him over the edge[/caption]

It was an out-the-blue request, coming just weeks after he had become King of Ally Pally, that sort of summed up how much his life had changed.

Smith, 33, recalled: “We were in Bahrain and it was straight after the Worlds.

“I was on the toilet. Not having a wee, the other one.

“I literally got a text message off Real Madrid’s Toni Kroos, asking if he could ring me and whether I’d go on his podcast.

“I nearly started crying in the toilet. I screamed to my wife that I’d just got a text message off Toni Kroos.

“She replied: ‘Who the f*** is Toni Kroos?’ My son Junior was going: ‘No you haven’t!’

“I said, ‘No, look’ and I showed him the message. That was probably one of the weirdest things I’ve experienced this year.

“And he still texts me now, asking about darts and stuff. Just getting to speak to someone like him was unreal.

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PAMichael Smith and his son couldn’t quite believe the podcast request from Toni Kroos[/caption]

“He’s probably one of the best midfielders you’re ever going to see in football, for Real Madrid. I went on his podcast.”

Kroos – who played for Germany as they beat Argentina 1-0 in the 2014 World Cup Final in Brazil – is a mad keen darts fan and would have seen Smith’s moment of redemption on January 3, 2023.

At the 12th attempt, Smith finally got his mitts on the Sid Waddell Trophy with a 7-4 victory over Michael van Gerwen, a result that was secured with a magnificent nine-darter finish in set two.

It had been a long, hard struggle before that with Bully Boy losing in eight of his nine PDC major TV finals.

Memorably he broke a bone in his left hand when he punched a cabinet in anger as he lost to MVG in the 2019 World Final.

For too long he had been used to seeing the word “bottler” on social media after he had missed out on silverware.

It is why he hit back at the online trolls by posting an image of himself in April smoking a cigar and relaxing in a Jacuzzi on a brief trip to Las Vegas with his wife and some mates.

In a post that has had 2.2MILLION views, the caption simply said: “World No1, world champion and now life. Completed it mate #topG.”

Smith said: “If I win the worlds again this year, I’ll do it again next year.

“I literally live my life with no regrets. If you’ve never had a regret you’re doing something wrong.

“I wouldn’t have changed anything from this year. It’s just people who give me stick, who are jealous or are looking for you to bite. I’m not fussed.

“I was enjoying myself, I was having fun.

“That ‘completed it’ line was because it had been my dream from when I was younger, to be the world No.1 and world champion.”

Few should blame him but Smith, by his own admission, has “partied this year, had fun and not practised – and it has kind of caught up with me”.

GETTYMichael Smith admits he enjoyed himself a little bit too much after winning Darts gold[/caption]

Smith’s form since that magical night in North London has been patchy and he has only reached two stage finals in front of fans.

His plan was to spend some of his £500,000 world winnings on a new Bull called Ferdinand, which is named after the 2017 film.

That’s not quite happened yet even though the field on his expanding farm is ready to accommodate one after he got rid of his horses.

In the past few weeks, there have been lots of accolades and acclaim – for example, he was presented with a Freedom of the Borough scroll at St Helens Town Hall.

And he sat on a Leicester Square stage with the other 10 winners of the PDC World title over the past 30 years.

However, the serious work started earlier this month and he will open up his world title in the second round against either Dutchman Kevin Doets or American Stowe Buntz.

Asked how he will feel this evening, Smith replied: “I’m always nervous the day before I drive up to Ally Pally.

“It’s only when MC John McDonald shouts out my name that the nerves disappear.

“When he does that, it’s going to be exciting and sad probably at the same time.

“Sad knowing that come the next tournament, say the Masters or Premier League, I could be introduced as a ‘former world champion’.

“It would be nice to go into 2024 as a two-time, back-to-back world champion.

“The nerves tell me that I’m in love with the game, I love what I’m doing.

“It’s part and parcel of any sport. You still get those nerves. It’s like taking a penalty in the World Cup.

“You will still get them no matter how many times you’ve practiced.”