Michael van Gerwen has launched a stinging critique of modern darts culture, accusing some players of hiding technical shortcomings behind theatrical walk-ons and exaggerated crowd engagement rather than letting their performances on the oche speak for themselves.
The three-time world champion, widely regarded as one of the sport’s most uncompromising competitors, said he has little patience for what he views as gimmickry creeping into the professional game.
Speaking to talkSPORT, the world No 3 suggested that entrances and music choices have begun to take on an inflated importance for certain players, often at the expense of substance.
“Some dart players now think their walk-on music makes them a better dart player,” said the Dutchman.
“Some people have started to believe too much in themselves now. They all milk it because their ability is a little bit less, so they have to try and get the crowd on their side somehow.”
Van Gerwen’s remarks reflect a broader tension within darts as the sport continues to balance its working-class roots with its evolution into a global entertainment product.
While elaborate entrances have become a staple of major tournaments, particularly at Alexandra Palace, the Dutchman made clear that, in his view, flair should never substitute for precision.
Michael van Gerwen lost to Luke Littler in the final of the World Darts Championship back in January
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Pressed on specific examples, van Gerwen was asked about the former walk-on routine of Dimitri Van den Bergh, who famously danced on stage to Pharrell Williams’ Happy.
His response was characteristically blunt.
“It was horrific. The worst one ever,” he said. “That’s why he’s at home now and I’m here.”
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The comment was delivered with a trademark edge that has long defined van Gerwen’s public persona.
At 36, and still competing at the highest level, he remains fiercely protective of standards he believes should govern elite darts, particularly as the sport attracts a wider audience.
Van Gerwen, who is due to face Willie O’Connor on December 23, also addressed the perennial debate over darts’ greatest player, arguing that comparisons across generations are inherently flawed.
Drawing parallels with football, he suggested that context and era make definitive judgments impossible.
“It’s difficult to compare, I think,” he said.
“Who is the greatest football player? Maradona? Is it Messi? Is it Pelé? Is it Johan Cruyff? Do you know what I mean? It’s different eras. We can’t compare them with each other, so it’s tough.”
Michael van Gerwen is looking to win the World Darts Championship
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Yet while van Gerwen resisted the label of “greatest of all time”, he had no hesitation in asserting his own standing within the modern game.
“I’m not going to answer that. I’m the best,” he said.
“I’m not going to say I’m the greatest, but I know I’m the best one.”
Asked more narrowly whether he considers himself the best player of the past two decades, his reply was emphatic: “One hundred per cent.”
Such confidence inevitably invites comparison with Phil Taylor, whose record 16 world titles continue to tower over the sport.
When it was suggested that overhauling Taylor’s record is unlikely, van Gerwen responded with a remark that encapsulated his competitive swagger” “I made him retire.”
