“I’m not scared of Luke Littler” – Raymond van Barneveld claims world champion still has a lot to learn
PDC
Raymond van Barneveld insists he has nothing to fear when he takes on Luke Littler in the opening round of the 2025 European Championship in Dortmund — and says he's "not scared" of the teenage world champion, despite his rapid rise to the top of the sport.
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The five-time world champion will face the 18-year-old sensation on Friday evening, a clash that brings together two darting eras: one man who built the sport’s modern legacy, and another who’s redefining it before most players his age have left college.
“I’m like an old dog, but there’s still fight in me”
Van Barneveld, now 58, was typically honest about his form and physical struggles, admitting that time and health have changed the way he approaches the game — but not his appetite for competition.
“I’m 58 years old playing against an 18-year-old that’s full of energy and I’m like an old dog,” he told Sky Sports. “Like a younger dog, they want to play, they’re exciting. But an older dog is like, ‘guys, leave me alone’. That’s a bit harder at the moment.”
The Dutchman, who continues to manage diabetes and a reduced playing schedule, said focus and consistency are harder to maintain these days — though he’s not ruling out a big result.
“I don’t have the 100 per cent focus I used to have for all these years because you grow older. Your muscles are different, we spoke about my diabetes, that’s still not right. I just play the board and hopefully I can play a good game — there’s always a chance you can beat them.”
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Realism over romance
Van Barneveld has no illusions about the size of the challenge that awaits him. Littler is not only world champion but could also end the weekend as world number one.
“If I can beat the current world champion, the world No 2, that would be a massive result,” Van Barneveld said. “But I have to be realistic. For the last two years, all the majors I go out in the first round. So I’m not going to say that I will survive this.”
Despite that dose of realism, he isn’t giving up on the idea of one last deep run. “Maybe in the future, who can say? The World Championship can be anyone’s tournament and I’m already in my head to have a good result there.”
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The teacher and the pupil
For Littler, Friday’s meeting is another test of how he handles the weight of expectation. He’s previously called Van Barneveld a “legend” — which is true enough, considering the Dutchman’s five world titles came before Littler was even born — but admiration counts for nothing on stage.
Van Barneveld, meanwhile, couldn’t resist offering a little advice for the youngster after Littler suggested earlier this year that he didn’t enjoy playing in Germany, where crowds haven’t always been kind to him.
“I don’t think it’s clever to say you don’t like to play here or there,” he said. “But he’s young and we all know this. And you have to learn.”
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A bridge between eras
Whether he wins or not, Van Barneveld’s appearance in Dortmund feels like a symbolic moment for darts — a reminder that even as the game evolves around Littler’s stardom, the legends who built the sport’s foundation are still capable of stealing a night.
And while the Dutchman accepts his best years are behind him, his words before taking on the world champion leave little doubt: there’s still fight in the old dog yet.
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Kieran WoodDarts Journalist
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He contributes to DartsNews.com, where he covers professional darts through news, match reports, analysis, and live coverage across the PDC calendar and major tournaments.
A key part of his work is on-site reporting from leading events. Kieran has covered the PDC World Darts Championship in person, reporting daily from the venue and providing first-hand insight from the tournament. During his coverage, he has conducted interviews with leading players including Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, and Gerwyn Price.
He is also one of the leading voices of the English-language Dartsnews Podcast, contributing regular analysis and discussion on developments across the professional darts circuit.
In his reporting, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles when new, verified information becomes available.
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- Well,I suppose if you don't play the tournaments ,then why should any player qualify? There are players who enter every tournament,and if they don't win it,they carry on, spending money they haven't won,yet certain players seem to think they should qualify. Winners only I thinkrick6714-11-2026
- Everyone knows what a fantastic champion Taylor was,but his performances in the seniors were poor. He wouldn't throw littler off stage,as he'd miss these days!!rick6712-11-2026
- He produced some impressive numbers in that qualifying campaign. I'm excited to see him compete at the World Championship once again, even if it will be difficult to replicate last year's success even with an improved performance, with the draw playing a huge role in determining his fortunes.Deduce635811-11-2026
- I often think about this very question. I think they should revive the format. They could even invite representatives from MODUS Super Series, with four series winners from the past year, and the ADC, with finalists from the Global Championship and perhaps other events. Why not throw in eligible representatives from the JDC and even the soft-tip game too?Deduce635811-11-2026
- So what if littler missed out, he doesnt have to enter everythingant10-11-2026
- Good, absolutely no loss if we never see this dancing goof ever again......no that is not fair. He absolutely cannot and has never been remotely able to dance!richieburnettrocks10-11-2026
- Yes Phil,now the money in the game is bigger than ever,you'd play littler. Well so would I! Retire on your memory Phil,and your successful careerrick6709-11-2026
- And why should he listen to you?Deduce635807-11-2026
- Ultimately it is a bye for whoever draws Barney. It will be another stroppy and sulky performance once he goes behind. Barney was excellent but really must completely call it a day now.richieburnettrocks07-11-2026
- I'm disappointed he was not able to secure a spot at the Grand Slam. With Carl Sneyd taking care of Daryl Gurney, he would have had to beat Andy Boulton before facing the winner of Sneyd vs Mensur Suljović for a Grand Slam spot. Unfortunately, after beating Filip Bereza comfortably, he succumbed to Boulton, and the board would ultimately be won by the highly inconsistent Carl Sneyd. Since he could instead have been drawn against the likes of Cristo Reyes, Dirk van Duijvenbode and Stephen Bunting, I think once Gurney was out of the picture he would have been favourite to win his board, and it seems like a massive missed opportunity to put 5 grand on his ranking and seal another major TV appearance ahead of the Worlds. The highs and lows of following Raymond van Barneveld!Deduce635806-11-2026