"I’m never going to say I’ll quit again" but Van Barneveld admits "form crisis" ahead of World Matchplay return

Raymond van Barneveld admits he is currently in the midst of a “form crisis” as he prepares for a high-profile showdown with Michael van Gerwen in the first round of the 2025 World Matchplay.

The draw for Blackpool’s iconic tournament threw up an all-Dutch clash between two legends of the game, but Van Barneveld, now 58, knows he will need to produce a major turnaround in performance to stand a chance.

“I’ll have to be at my best, or I’ll get blown away,” he told BD.nl. “I made it to the World Matchplay, but not convincingly. I’m in a pretty big form crisis, and there’s not much to cling to.”

The five-time world champion has struggled for consistency since his early exit at the World Championship — a defeat he partly put down to illness. His form hasn’t recovered, and his confidence has taken a hit. “I can’t even handle losing once a week, let alone three or four times,” he said. “In January, I was ranked 35th in the world. Now I’m 36th. I keep asking myself: what am I even doing? I’m putting so much energy into this, but it’s not paying off.”

Despite his ongoing struggles, Van Barneveld insists retirement is not under consideration — unless his Tour Card is at risk. “No, I’m never going to say I’ll quit again. Only if I lose my PDC Tour Card — then maybe it’s time. But as long as I can still qualify for the World Championship, I’d be mad to stop. In my head, I’ve still got two or three more years. Of course, you hope for a bit of success somewhere along the way — but that just isn’t happening right now.”

With his odds long and expectations low, Van Barneveld says he feels the shift in how he’s perceived within the sport. “For years, everything revolved around me. Now I’m asking myself: why am I even here? Nobody thinks I can win. You can feel yourself going from crowd favourite to the joke of the sport — and that hurts. I’m trying to find the switch to turn things around, but I just can’t find it.”

Van Barneveld is one of seven Dutch players in this year’s field at the Winter Gardens, where £800,000 in prize money is up for grabs, including a £200,000 winner’s cheque.

Fellow countryman Gian van Veen also faces a tough task, drawn against world number one Luke Humphries in round one. Should Van Veen pull off a shock, he could meet close friend Danny Noppert in round two — though for now, all eyes are on the clash of Dutch darting icons in round one.

"Drawing lots is not my hobby," jokes the 23-year-old Van Veen. "I thought: here we go again. But on the other hand: little is expected of me, so I can play freely. And that suits me."

Van Veen defeated Humphries earlier this year, winning his first PDC title. "That gives confidence. He did win from me four times, but it's important that I beat him before, too."

If Van Veen manages to shock, a possible confrontation with good friend Danny Noppert awaits in the second round. The latter will meet Scot Cameron Menzies in his first match. "I wouldn't even find it surprising if I have to face Gian. Humphries has not been in top form lately," said Noppert, who reached the semifinals in Blackpool in 2022.

"I slipped a bit in the rankings, but things are starting to stabilize again. For a while I felt a little off, but now I'm feeling good again."