“I probably need to learn to keep my mouth shut sometimes" - Mike de Decker reflects on backlash to recent outbursts

Mike De Decker had a breakthrough year in 2024, firmly establishing himself among the world's elite in darts. The 29-year-old Belgian claimed his first major title in October, defeating Luke Humphries 6-4 in the World Grand Prix final. His success has propelled him up the world rankings, where he now sits at No. 21, just behind fellow Belgian Dimitri Van den Bergh.

Given his triumph at the World Grand Prix, many expected De Decker to receive an invitation to the prestigious Premier League Darts. However, to the surprise of many, ‘The Real Deal’ was overlooked for selection.

As something of a consolation, the PDC offered him a spot at the Dutch Darts Masters in late January in 's-Hertogenbosch. However, De Decker turned down the invitation, citing prior travel plans. He had already booked a holiday to Dubai and couldn’t make it back to the Netherlands in time. But it was his reasoning beyond the scheduling conflict that raised eyebrows.

“The World Series isn’t really a tournament I was looking forward to, and definitely not the one in the Netherlands,” De Decker explained at the time. “If you get invited, you want it to be for an event in Bahrain or Australia—somewhere exciting. Of all the places they hold these tournaments, 's-Hertogenbosch is the last place you'd want to go.”

His remarks sparked debate, and De Decker later elaborated on the Double Top podcast.

“I got quite a few messages asking why I have something against the Netherlands, but that’s not the case at all. I never said I don’t like the World Series of Darts,” he clarified.

“I probably need to learn to keep my mouth shut sometimes,” he admitted. “But I’ve been to the Netherlands plenty of times. When you think of the World Series of Darts, you dream of playing in Bahrain or Australia—not in the Netherlands.”

His compatriot Dimitri Van den Bergh backed him up, saying, “Mike is just someone who always speaks his mind. Whether it’s on or off camera, he’s always the same.”

De Decker’s honesty has certainly made headlines—but whether his words will have any impact on future invitations remains to be seen.