Belgium’s Luca Brecel becomes first continental Europe player to win snooker World Championship

Belgium’s Luca Brecel became the first player from continental Europe to win snooker’s World Championship as he withstood a fightback from four-time champion Mark Selby to triumph 18-15 in the final on Monday.

Brecel’s victory also meant he joined Canadian Cliff Thorburn (1980), the Republic of Ireland’s Ken Doherty (1997) and Australian Neil Robertson (2010) as only the fourth modern-era world champion from outside the United Kingdom at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre.

Having overturned huge deficits to defeat both seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan and Si Jiahui in the quarter and semi-final rounds respectively, Brecel held his nerve after Selby had eroded his lead.

The 28-year-old, who had never won a match at the World Championship before this year’s edition, started Monday’s concluding session 15-10 up.

Selby, however, won five of the next six frames as he closed to within one at just 16-15 behind.

But the Englishman then missed a black off its spot and Brecel capitalised to move within a frame of victory at 17-15.

Brecel was first in come the next frame and then demonstrated excellent cue-ball control around the black in a match-winning break of 112.

“It’s amazing, I can’t see any more, I don’t know why,” Brecel told the BBC.

“So tough, he (Selby) is the worst opponent to have in a final, he just keeps coming back, he’s such a fighter, when it was 16-15 I didn’t fancy winning at all, I was missing balls by a mile but then I made a good break.”

Asked what his win would mean for European snooker, former child prodigy Brecel replied: “It’s going to explode, I was so nervous because I wanted it to happen for Belgium and Europe and now I can’t wait to see what it brings, I’m so happy I did it.”

Something of a throwback, the crowd-pleasing Brecel’s path to the final was notable for his unconventional approach to match preparation.

“It’s been a crazy week, no practice just partying, it shouldn’t be legal!”

Selby, who on Sunday became the first player to make a maximum 147 break in a World Championship final, paid tribute to the new champion by saying: “Congratulations to Luca, he’s a great talent and a great lad, a great family. Enjoy the year, you deserve it mate, you played fantastic.

“It was great to make a 147 at the Crucible, never thought I would do it in a final, the atmosphere was amazing and something I will remember for rest of my life.”

The 39-year-old, however, added: “But it’s not about me today, Luca played fantastic.

“Every time he potted a ball I fancied him to clear up but I battled — but every credit to Luca he deserves it.”