"Always complaining, he is so mentally weak": Former player and coach of Van Barneveld calls Dutch icon 'the biggest narcissist there is'

The situation surrounding Raymond van Barneveld continues to stir debate. The five-time world champion, for years the face of Dutch darts, finds himself in a deep sporting and mental slump. After yet another run of disappointing results, the calls for change are growing louder. Notably, none other than former top footballer Rafael van der Vaart has now stepped forward to get “Barney” back on track. Yet not everyone is convinced by that plan.

Van Barneveld had already sounded the alarm after his early exit at the World Championship. The Hague native openly admitted that things could not carry on like this. Without intervention, his imposing career risked fading away quietly. That plea did not go unanswered. Van der Vaart, known for his outspoken character and experience with elite sporting pressure, offered to help make Van Barneveld mentally stronger.

The partnership sparks curiosity, but also skepticism. Former top darter Dick van Dijk, who worked closely with Van Barneveld in the past, raises serious doubts about the project. Speaking to Panorama, he does not mince words about his former colleague. “I already feel sorry for Van der Vaart,” says Van Dijk. “I coached him for three months, but it felt like three years.”

According to Van Dijk, the crux of the problem is primarily mental. He sketches a picture of a player around whom everything revolves and who struggles to handle setbacks. “Everything always revolved around Raymond,” Van Dijk says. “If we had lost, we’d get a long lecture that evening about everything that went wrong. And then he wanted to die. Come on. Always complaining, he is so mentally weak.”

Those are harsh words that will undoubtedly spark debate within the darts world. Van Dijk even goes a step further in his criticism, calling Van Barneveld “the biggest narcissist there is.” At the same time, it should be noted that these remarks are based on personal experiences from the past and may therefore present a one-sided view.

Even so, the comments touch on a point often raised with Van Barneveld: his mental resilience. In the past, the darter himself has repeatedly admitted to struggling with pressure, expectations, and motivation. Precisely in that area, Van der Vaart’s help could prove valuable.

The former midfielder of clubs including Ajax and Real Madrid has performed at the highest level and knows better than most how crucial the mental component is in elite sport. Although he has no darts background, his experience with performing under pressure and handling criticism could provide a fresh spark to Van Barneveld’s career.

For now, however, that new collaboration has yet to translate into better results. On the contrary, Van Barneveld’s performances remain inconsistent and often disappointing. At several tournaments this year, he fell at an early stage. A rare bright spot was his run at a floor event, where he reached the last 16 and beat Wessel Nijman with a high average.

That revival, however, proved short-lived. At the German Darts Grand Prix, another major disappointment followed. Van Barneveld was knocked out in the first round by German amateur Marcel Hausotter. In that match, he managed only an average of 84 points per visit, a level far below his best.