"He's been playing crap lately and I think it's time for him to retire anyway": Michael van Gerwen issues brutal verdict on Peter Wright's struggles

Michael van Gerwen produced one of the standout performances of the 2026 PDC World Darts Championship so far as he saw off William O'Connor in a 3-1 win in an emphatic second-round victory at Alexandra Palace was followed by a blunt assessment of Peter Wright’s future in the sport.

Asked whether he was surprised by the manner of Wright’s shock exit earlier in the day, Van Gerwen did not hesitate as Wright slumped to an easy loss to German debutant standout Arno Merk 3-0 averaging just 79.

Asked about whether he was surprised at Wright's display, Van Gerwen was brutally honest about 'Snakebite's travails with Wright having previously said that MVG's vision was going which brought about a hilarious answer about recent dates.

“You want me to answer this? I can answer this really easily,” he said post match. “Yeah, I’m not really surprised by his performance, because he’s been playing crap lately and I think it’s time for him to retire anyway.”

Van Gerwen otherwise had spoken openly about his own form, mindset, physical changes, technical tweaks and belief that he can still “do some damage” in this year’s championship. On the oche, the Dutchman delivered a performance that backed up that confidence. Averaging just over 100 and converting 63 per cent of his doubles, van Gerwen said his sharp start and mental readiness were key.

“I think I played well, and also the way I got into this game, I was sharp, I was ready today,” he said post match. “That’s what you want to show to yourself, and also to everyone else, that you’re capable of doing more. I put a lot of effort into this match and I think from here on I can do some more damage.”

Van Gerwen also revealed he had been experimenting with changes away from the board, including a new breathing method. “I also played with a new system from Wim Hof, the switch system,” he explained. “I think everything went well, everything came into place. Of course, there’s still room for improvement, but as no one else, I’m more critical of myself than anyone else. So no one has to do that for me.”

The world number one was well aware of the upsets unfolding around him at Alexandra Palace, with big names exiting early, but insisted he does not draw confidence from others falling. “What someone else does in the first round doesn’t mean he’s also going to do that so many days in between, or that you’re also going to do that in the second round,” he said. “I know what I’m capable of. As long as you keep believing in your own ability, I can do anything.”

That belief had been tested in a scrappy opening-round performance, something Van Gerwen admitted he had addressed honestly with himself. “Of course I had a word with myself, but that’s the way darts go sometimes,” he said. “There’s always a lot of pressure in the first round. I made too many mistakes there, on and off the oche. But after that, I reset myself and put myself in a good position.”

Despite comparisons being drawn between his display and those of other high-profile names still in the tournament, including Gary Anderson, Van Gerwen dismissed the idea that the event is about any individual leading the way even Humphries or Littler. “I don’t care about Luke and Luke at this moment,” he said. “I just need to concentrate on my own performance. I can’t meet them until the semi-final or final anyway.”

Next for van Gerwen is Arno Merk, who reached the third round with impressive wins over Kim Huybrechts and Peter Wright, the latter result setting the stage for van Gerwen’s explosive retirement remark. “I think he did really well in his game against Peter Wright,” van Gerwen said of Merk. “He was sharp, he was there when he had to be. So I need to make sure I concentrate on my own performance and shouldn’t look at anyone else.”

Away from the immediate controversy, van Gerwen also spoke candidly about how he is feeling physically and mentally after a difficult year, touching on weight loss, the removal of his braces, and life away from darts. “I’m feeling good,” he said. “Of course, when you feel more comfortable, that goes through into your darts as well. But it’s been a long run. Everyone knows I’ve had a really tough year, on and off the oche. You need to put your shoulders under it and move on, and that’s the only thing I can do.”

Van Gerwen also offered his perspective on the unusually high number of seeded exits already recorded at this year’s World Championship. “The World Championship is a different animal,” he said. “You have to prepare yourself really well to make sure you’re going to do some damage here. I feel good, I feel comfortable, but I don’t care about anyone else, to be fair.”

Technical tweaks have also been part of his rebuild, with van Gerwen confirming recent changes to his darts and points. “If I play what I delivered today, I know I can do some really good damage not only here, but also for the rest of the year,” he said. “But you need to see everything as a big journey. It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon.”

With a Christmas break now separating rounds, van Gerwen plans to briefly step away before returning to Alexandra Palace. “I’m travelling home tomorrow morning and then I’ll be back on Boxing Day, because I’m playing on the 28th, I think,” he said, exchanging festive wishes with reporters.

As for whether this performance represents peak van Gerwen and whether it is enough to win a fourth world title, the Dutchman was typically pragmatic. “I think it could be good enough to go all the way, but I know I’m capable of doing more,” he said. “In some games you play a bit poorer, and in some games you need to do more. I know exactly when the time is there to do more. I’ve been here a few times before.”

Experience, he believes, remains an advantage but not a guarantee. “You always need to keep believing in your ability,” he said. “I work really hard to make sure I keep producing good darts, and for the rest, I don’t really care.”

And when asked what gift he would like from Santa this Christmas, van Gerwen’s answer was notably understated. “I’m a blessed man anyway,” he said. “Health is more important than anything.”