Luca Brecel

Luca Brecel (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈlukaː breːˈsɛl]; born 8 March 1995) is a Belgian professional snooker player. A four-time ranking event winner, Brecel is the reigning World Snooker Champion, having won the 2023 event by defeating four-time champion Mark Selby 18–15 in the final. Brecel trailed Si Jiahui 5–14 in the semi-final, but eventually won 17–15. This comeback from nine frames behind is the biggest deficit ever overturned in the history of the World Championship at the Crucible Theatre.

He became the first player from mainland Europe to win a ranking event when he won the 2017 China Championship, and then went on to win other ranking events: the 2021 Scottish Open and 2022 Championship League. He is the youngest player to compete in the World Snooker Championship, making his debut in 2012, aged 17 years and 45 days, and the first player from mainland Europe to have won the event.

Brecel won the 2009 European Under-19 title at the age of 14, and turned professional in 2011. He reached the top 16 in the world rankings in 2017, and reached his first Triple Crown final at the 2021 UK Championship, but lost 5–10 to Zhao Xintong. A week later, he defeated John Higgins 9–5 to win the 2021 Scottish Open.