‘Being controversial is what it’s all about’

When darts player Raymond van Barneveld reminisces about his last world title in 2007, it appears that he has not yet lost his humor and self-mockery. “That was on black and white boards. Back then we still wrote darts with sch,” says Barney with a smile.

“If someone had said then that I would never become world champion again, I would have thought that person was crazy. But unfortunately it never happened again.”

It is now eighteen years after that last world title and tonight the now 57-year-old Van Barneveld will start his 32nd world championship. In the second round he plays against the Englishman Nick Kenny, but no one in the darts world is seriously taking a new world title into account.

Because where Van Barneveld was previously seen as a great man in darts, he is now just one of many. And that hurts the people of The Hague.

“Everything used to happen automatically. The red carpet went out. Everywhere it was ‘Barney, Barney, Barney’. Every day I was approached and told one-hundred-and-eighty shouted on the bicycle. Now I’m not even on a poster anymore. I’ve always been someone who was all about it, but that story is over. And it takes me a lot of strength and energy to give that a place.”

Van Barneveld likes to think back to those good old days, when he managed to win tournaments. But he also realizes that due to his recent results he is not seen as one of the favorites.

“I also have to look in the mirror. I’ll get up majors (major television tournaments, ed.), but don’t make any moves. I want to make a statement again. I want to be controversial again,” says Van Barneveld, who has a total of five world titles to his name. Four with the BDO and one with the PDC, now the largest darts association.

Barney, who is seeded 32nd for this World Cup, comes up with a metaphor of his own invention. “Compare it with a director of a large company. All employees look up to you and also want to earn the money you get. But then you are suddenly demoted to someone who has to deliver the mail in the company. That is painful, you know. In my head I am still a five-time world champion, but that no longer means anything. Those are data and they are in a database.”

While Van Barnveld is still active among the best darts players in the world, he sees more and more of his generation dropping out. For example, Steve Beaton, Mervyn King and Simon Whitlock are not present at Alexandra Palace and darts legend Phil Taylor retired years ago. “I am proud that I can still be part of the whole circus,” said the 57-year-old from The Hague.

Although Van Barneveld briefly stopped throwing darts in 2019, he is not yet thinking about retiring. “I also think it would be ideal to watch a series at home on the couch with the wife, but that is not yet possible for me. I can still use the money.”

He continues, again with a metaphor: “I put darts on the map in the Netherlands, but I always drove on the dirt road, full of potholes and stones. I paved that road for everyone who came after me, but I It’s still not well arranged financially for myself. Everyone can have an opinion about that, but it is the reality.”

Mentally it is sometimes difficult and so Van Barneveld has called in some help. “I do some hypnotherapy. This person also treats Stephen Bunting and Nathan Aspinall. I listen to some of his lyrics and it puts me to sleep. It makes me feel good and rested. But that doesn’t mean I’m favorite now People can give you a feeling of invincibility, but so do your opponents and they don’t stop aiming at you with 13, 14 or 15 arrows.”

When will the World Cup be a success for Van Barneveld? “That’s a good question, with a difficult answer. The last time I was 32nd in the world rankings, I won the world title. But those are all numbers, man. I always go for the highest possible. So also for a world title, but You also have to remain realistic. Imagine that I get through that second round and then win against Humphries. Suppose that is possible, then you will be controversial again.

In 2013, Andere Tijden Sport made an episode about Van Barneveld’s transformation, from postman to darts millionaire.