Who said there wasn't space for a little bit of joga bonito on the baize? Certainly not 2023 World Snooker Champion Luca Brecel. Speaking to Midnite ahead of this year's World Snooker Championship, Brecel insisted he's all about entertainment rather than being focused on the result. And, in the world No. 7's own words, he believes his style of play mirrored that of a certain Brazilian legend.
"I just don't really think a lot about winning tournaments and stuff like that," Brecel said. "I just like playing the game. I'm more of a Ronaldinho type of player in snooker, so it's all about just entertaining and fun! And also having a nice life around it, that's more important to me! So yeah, no pressure."
Brecel's admiration for free-wheeling footballing mavericks doesn’t stop with Ronaldinho. The Belgian also holds Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, and Andres Iniesta in high regard. However, he will have to channel much more than the quartet if he is to repeat his 2023 heroics. Yet even then, Brecel expressed he is 'not that interested' in becoming a two-time world champion.
"I've not really thought about the possibility of winning a second world title," Brecel stated. "I'm not that interested in it. If it happens it happens, but if it doesn't, then it's all good."
Brecel will begin his World Snooker Championship campaign against Wales' Ryan Day on April 23. If Brecel wins that match, he'll face either Ding Junhui or Zak Surety in the second round. However, snooker fans are more excited for a potential third-round match between Brecel and world No. 1 Judd Trump. "I relish the challenge of playing Judd in the third round," Brecel remarked. "I've never played against him here at the Crucible. I think he's very tough to beat here... but we will see how it goes."
Stephen Hendry, a legend in the sport, has voiced his confusion regarding Brecel's career direction since he lifted the world title two years ago. Brecel, known as the flamboyant 'Belgian Bullet,' became snooker's first world champion from continental Europe, arriving at the Crucible for his first-round match against Ricky Walden after not picking up his cue for more than three weeks. He drove home to Belgium three times during the tournament, including an all-night drinking session between dramatic victories against Mark Williams and Ronnie O'Sullivan, before producing the greatest-ever Crucible comeback in the semi-final to overhaul a 14-5 deficit to Si Jiahui. The granite Mark Selby was then duly dispatched 18-15 in the final with five century breaks on a spectacular last day of the tournament.
Despite his previous triumph, Brecel has not won another tournament since and has sunk to 42nd on the one-year world ranking list. He seems to have made more headlines recently for his stated ambition of completing an Ironman triathlon than anything on a snooker table. "I was probably in Majorca cycling in the sun," Brecel said, looking tanned and trim upon his arrival in Sheffield ahead of his first-round match against Ryan Day.
Hendry, one of Brecel's biggest fans, expressed admiration for Brecel's playing style, stating that he plays snooker "how it should be played." However, he seems baffled by Brecel's laid-back outlook. "I can’t understand them so it’s normal. They are so different from me; they always want to win, win, win," Brecel said. "I’m not that attached to winning. If I lose, it’s OK, I go home. I have a good life. They should not worry about me. If you attach yourself too much to it you are going to get pressure."
Brecel's approach to the game has led to a style that could make even O'Sullivan or Judd Trump seem cautious. "There’s no one like me – no one plays the game like I do," he declared. "I play very open, very attacking. I like going for crazy shots. Even if I miss them it’s still good. All the other players, maybe, are a bit too much pressure on themselves – playing like it’s life or death. I play different. I always enjoy it when it is not too serious. We need to keep it entertaining. I’m always going to play like that; I don’t see any reason to change it. It is the perfect way to play this game."
Brecel's shot-making has garnered praise from both O'Sullivan and Hendry. O'Sullivan told him he was good enough to win the tournament after Brecel won seven straight frames in their 2023 quarter-final to turn a 10-6 deficit into a 13-10 win in just 89 minutes. Hendry described one of Brecel's shots as one of the best he had ever seen during almost 50 years of playing and watching snooker.
Brecel divides his life outside of tournaments between his home on the Belgium-Netherlands border and Majorca, where he enjoys cycling and running. He cycles up to 100km and runs as far as 15km, stating that completing the Ironman triathlon is more about the associated benefits than the goal itself. "Eating more healthily, losing a bit of weight, having a routine, that’s more important to me," he said.
He will again travel to Belgium between matches for however long he lasts at this year’s World Championship, a journey of nine hours via the Channel Tunnel. He even flew from Belfast to Majorca and back between matches earlier this season at the Northern Ireland Open so that he could cycle in the sun. Brecel still has the Ferrari he bought when he triumphed in 2023, but his dad, Carlo, does most of the driving to and from tournaments. "I get bored if I stay here [in Sheffield]," Brecel said. "I just like being home, close to my friends. I need to have something else in my life. I prefer that – it’s not a big deal, just one long drive. If I win it, I just go home and the next day will be the same as yesterday."
As for an average day at home in Belgium? "Always the same, very chilled; wake up, take a coffee, do some running or cycling, go to my parents' house maybe, have a little soup, then I go to some friends, have some dinner, play some darts. Always fun," he shared.
So where does snooker fit in? "Maybe after my coffee, just play maybe one or two hours. I just play when I want to. The last few months I have been playing every day. No reason. I just like playing sometimes and I’m enjoying it. I feel like I’m close to my best – I’m just not showing it yet on the match table but that will come. I’m quite sharp, so we’ll see how it goes."
Brecel began playing snooker at nine years old at the Snooker Sports club in Maasmechelen and devoted up to 12 hours a day to practice in his teens. By the age of 13, he was good enough to make a 137 total clearance during an exhibition against Hendry. He was the youngest ever Crucible debutant shortly after his 17th birthday in 2012 but struggled with anxiety that would cause him to hyperventilate. His seven previous visits to the Crucible have involved six first-round defeats alongside that one magical run to the title.
Brecel now plays down the party-animal image that emerged after his title win in 2023, stressing that he simply keeps snooker in perspective. "Even when the draw was done, I woke up and totally forgot," he said. "My dad suddenly said, ‘You’re playing Ryan Day’, and I was, ‘Of course, the draw was done today’. That’s the way I live. I enjoy playing ... I love practising. And I do watch. I think it’s calming to watch the matches."
With the World Snooker rankings operated on a rolling two-year cycle according to prize money, Brecel’s £500,000 first prize from 2023 will soon be deducted from that calculation and replaced by whatever he manages in the next 12 days. A drastic slide down the rankings looks highly likely, but Brecel, having only turned 30 last month, is convinced that would only be temporary. "The easiest thing to do is obviously win this tournament," he said. "If not, then I will have to play qualifiers next year. That’s going to be tough but I will get back to the top 16 obviously. I know I’m good enough; it’s just about me turning up and focusing. The last few years I’ve been really living on ‘eco’… like very low energy. I always feel quite flat on the table. Maybe just getting older, just being happy away from the table. I struggled to get really motivated. That’s the difference. Other players, they want to play well but they don’t. I know, if I want to play well, I will play quite good. I’m not going to be worried."
