World Snooker Championship final 2023 LIVE RESULTS: Brecel BEATS Selby 18-15 to win maiden world championship – updates
LUCA BRECEL has won his first ever World Snooker Championship, beating Mark Sebly 18-15 in the final.
The Belgian made noise early in the week by knocking out Ronnie O'Sullivan, and now his name has been etched in the history books forever.
- RESULT: Selby 15-18 Brecel (Best of 35 frames)
- FINAL: From 1pm
- Venue: Crucible Theatre
- Prize Money: How much each player could win
Snooker betting best sites: Top bookies for World Championships
Follow ALL the action from Crucible with our live blog below…
From also-ran to world champion
Luca Brecel will never forget the 2023 World Snooker Championship.
This is just how he did it:
- (Last 32) vs Ricky Walden 10-9
- (Last 16) vs Mark Williams 13-11
- (QF) vs Ronnie O'Sullivan 13-10
- (SF) vs Si Jiahui 17-15
- (Final) vs Mark Selby 18-15
The Belgian player will be celebrating until the early hours tonight and who could begrudge him, he deserves to enjoy moment.
Champ thanks his support group
The Belgian spoke about who made it possible for him to be there, trophy in hand:
I really have the best team, best friends, best parents and best girlfriend in the world which makes me strong on the table, if you don't have that team it's difficult to play the best game.
Luca Brecel
Credit: AFP Brecel tears up form guide
Having never made it past the first round of the competition before, bookies would have laughed at anyone putting a bet on him winning it before the tournament started.
Even at the quarter-final stage, no one was taking bets on him beating Ronnie O'Sullivan.
Luca Brecel thrived on being the underdog and before he knew it, he found himself in the final.
Saving some of his best snooker for the big stage, Mark Selby pushed him to breaking point, he had to grow as a player during this match up.
Whatever he did, it worked and now he finds himself in dreamland.
Credit: AFP
Luca has that winning feeling
Luca Brecel must have been sat in his chair, watching Mark Selby potting wondering whether he had blown his chance of becoming world champion.
Even when he was at the table, his potting had left him, he was missing shots by a country mile.
Such are the fine margins, one missed shot by Mark Selby and it gave the Belgian an opportunity.
He still needed to take it and boy did he.
Two frames later, he stands here with the trophy in front of him as it sinks in that he is now world champion.
Credit: Getty Belgian makes dreams come true
Luca Brecel, emotions running high, spoke about his win:
So tough, he's 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. Snooker is a mental sport. I could have lost in the first round. If I had, people would have said again, 'he has lost first round'. Now I am the winner. Snooker is all about the small margins. It is crazy.
Luca BrecelMark Selby shows class in defeat
The first to congratulate his opponent, Mark Selby tells the world just how much Luca Brecel deserves this victory.
Selby worked so hard to reach this final and even posted a 147 maximum to boot.
He came so close to upsetting the odds when Luca seemed home and dry, Selby tested Brecel all the way.
The four-time champion tested the nerve of the Belgian, at one point it looked like he had caused him to crack.
Luca Brecel managed to dig deep and find his game again and make sure that the silver lady comes home with him.
Brecel writes his name in history
Luca Brecel becomes the fourth non-British player to win the world championship at The Crucible.
There were times where he must have questioned whether it was going to happen, the emotion is there for all to see.
Before this tournament, he had not won a single match at the World Snooker Championship and now he has won the final.
After victories in the quarter-final and semi-final that not even his closest friends would have bet on, there could not be a more deserving winner.
Credit: AFP 
Credit: Getty Mark Selby 15-18 Luca Brecel
We have our first ever Belgian world champion.
When it seemed that Mark Selby was coming back, Brecel somehow dug deep to win the next two frames.
Unbelievable final.
It swung one way then the other, Brecel seemed his head had gone as Selby came back at him hard.
Luca Brecel manages to seal victory and you can see how much it means to him.
Luca Brecel is world champion!!!
Mark Selby 15-17 Luca Brecel
What a huge chance this is for Luca Brecel.
He has made a break of 47 with all the reds still open.
If he plays the game we know he is capable of this could be the frame that rewrites history.
Credit: AFP Mark Selby 15-17 Luca Brecel
Luca Brecel breaks well, leaving no pot on and a white tight to the cushion.
Mark Selby returns with a shot just as good, an even tighter white.
It is definitely looking like an exchange of safety shots here and whoever cracks may lose the frame.
The question is, who has the confidence to take a long pot to get a chance of winning this one.
Mark Selby 15-17 Luca Brecel
This final will go down as one of the best we have seen at The Crucible,
Luca Brecel seemed like his head had gone and couldn't get a pot for the life of him.
He has now got himself within one frame of becoming world champion.
This next frame will be such high tension.
A final that is a credit to the sport.
Mark Selby 15-16 Luca Brecel
Luca Brecel is 56 points ahead in the frame with 51 available.
Mark Selby fluked a pot when trying to play a safety and then rattled the brown to the middle pocket.
This frame is going one way, then the other.
Brecel has regained some confidence from that 51 break earlier in the frame.
Selby goes for a pot tight along the rail and misses it.
Huge chance for Brecel to win the frame.
Mark Selby 15-16 Luca Brecel
Just when it seems Luca Brecel is devoid of confidence he lets Mark Selby in once again.
The way the table is looking, everyone is expecting Selby to clean up again.
To the shock of everyone at The Crucible he rattles an easy black leaving his opponent a huge chance.
Brecel is looking good until he has a spot of bad luck ending the break at 51.
Mark Selby 15-16 Luca Brecel
A 52 break from Mark Selby puts him within one frame of Luca Brecel.
The Belgian hasn't potted a ball for 52 minutes now.
Worrying times for Luca.
He needs to get his head back on before he finds this final all level.
Huge pressure on the Belgian.
Credit: AFP
Mark Selby 14-16 Luca Brecel
Mark Selby knocks in a 43 break until he is faced with the harsh reality that nothing is on after his shot.
Luca Brecel resists taking on a long pot and leave the cue ball high up the table, tight to the cushion.
Selby follows suit with a great safety, leaving the white even tighter to the cushion.
The next pot could dictate the way this frame goes and to who.
Mark Selby 14-16 Luca Brecel
Mark Selby score a 31 break to take the frame.
This is worrying times for Luca Brecel.
He has not scored a point in the last two frames.
Brecel has been relying on his long potting to get him a chance to get into the frame and it seems his long potting has deserted him.
However, Luca Brecel breaks well in the following frame and leaves the white tight against the cushion.
Mark Selby 13-16 Luca Brecel
Well the snooker gods may well be with Luca Brecel.
Mark Selby has a break of 50 and looks set to take this frame.
As he screws back from the red for the black it goes all wrong.
It leaves him an unpotable black and the reds blocking any others options.
Mark Selby plays a safe cue ball only leaving a potential for along pot.
Brecel takes it on and is way off, giving Selvy the chance to clinch this frame.
Mark Selby 13-16 Luca Brecel
For the first time today, the players agree to a rerack.
The pair were just exchanging safety shots of rolling the cue ball into the pack and leaving it against the cushion.
Mark Selby breaks once again, another solid beak, leaving the cue ball tight against the top cushion.
Mark Selby 13-16 Luca Brecel
Mark Selby breaks and as ever it is solid.
Luca Brecel goes for a long pot but catches it way too thinly but a lucky kick off a red leaves the cue ball safe.
The only available red for Selby is a very tight shot down the rail.
He opts to leave the white tight against the cushion high up the table.
Brecel replies with the same, nothing potable from the rack.
Selby rolls the ball into the pack.
Credit: Getty No room for loose shots
One thing we have seen over the course of this final is that we have two players who are in a rich vein of form.
This has been one of the best finals we have seen for some time.
All too often one player dominates and runs away with it but Mark Selby and Luca Brecel have exchanged blows all the way and that looks to be the format for the rest of this final.
One loose shot can cost you the frame, the trophy is still anybody's.
Nervy times for Belgian debut win
Mark Selby has put the cat amongst the pigeons in that first part of this session, winning it 3-1.
He has capitalised on any half chance given to him by Brecel and ended this mini-session with a big 122 break.
Selby has been here, done it and got the t-shirt.
His performance tonight has asked whether Luca Brecel has got the mentality to get over the line in this final.
Mark Selby 13-16 Luca Brecel
Mark Selby sinks a 122 break to win the frame.
The mid-session interval comes at the right time for Luca Brecel.
Chance for the Belgian to give himself a team talk in the break.
Selby is in fine form and looking dangerous.
Mark Selby 12-16 Luca Brecel
Mark Selby plays a great long pot to open up an opportunity.
After sinking some reds and colours, the pack needs opening.
As he pots the black he cannons into the pack and every single red frees itself from the ball next to it.
This is a huge opportunity for Selby to win the frame at this visit and heap the psychological pressure onto Luca Brecel.
Form is temporary, class is permanent.
Credit: Getty Mark Selby 12-16 Luca Brecel
Mark Selby chips away at the frame and manages to seal it.
Both players were exchanging safety shots while still trying to the pot and Selby had to graft to score the points to take the frame.
He is going to make Luca Brecel work hard for these two frames.
This final is certainly not over by any stretch of the imagination.