Pleasant surprise for Michael Van Gerwen upon arrival at Schiphol: Dutch artist presents him with a beautiful gift

Dutch top darter Michael van Gerwen received a special surprise upon arrival at Schiphol. The three-time world champion was presented with an artwork by Dutch artist Joseph Klibansky at the airport’s VIP Centre. The gift, a sculpture titled The Thinker, symbolizes strength and reflection according to its creator—qualities Van Gerwen could use in a turbulent period.

Van Gerwen shared the moment himself on social media. “Beautiful gift at the VIP Centre,” the Brabant native wrote alongside a photo of the sculpture. Artist Klibansky responded immediately under the post with a warm message: “Welcome to the family.” The artwork is a modern interpretation of the classic thinker motif and is known as one of the artist’s signature pieces.

The meeting came at a time when Van Gerwen has endured a turbulent start to the 2026 darts year. From a sporting perspective, the year began promisingly. The Dutchman won a World Series event in Bahrain and also reached the final of the tournament in Saudi Arabia. Yet his season took an unexpected turn early on.

At the Winmau World Masters, the first ranked TV tournament of the year, Van Gerwen was eliminated in the first round. Afterwards it emerged that the Dutchman had suffered a heavy personal blow just before the tournament. He kept the details out of the public eye, but in interviews he hinted that it had hit him hard mentally.

Despite that, Van Gerwen quickly showed resilience. At the start of the Premier League Darts he immediately displayed his class by winning the opening night of the prestigious tournament. It was a clear signal that the former world number one still belongs to the absolute elite. He also produced several strong performances at the floor events thereafter.

In mid-February, however, the Dutchman was dealt another setback. Due to illness, Van Gerwen had to skip several tournaments. Since his return to the circuit, he does not yet seem to have fully rediscovered his old level. That was evident again last weekend at the UK Open, where he lost by a wide margin in the sixth round to a rampant James Wade.

The Englishman proved too strong with a 10-3 win, forcing Van Gerwen to exit the tournament early. There remains confidence, however, that the Dutchman’s form will return. Former pro and close friend Vincent van der Voort still sees positive signs. “In patches we see a good Van Gerwen, and his throw is also getting more and more on track," he said earlier this week. "Now we really have to hope that for three or four months he doesn’t run into anything."

After his Premier League Darts commitments, Van Gerwen will quickly head to Germany, where the second Euro Tour event of the year is on the schedule in Göttingen: the European Darts Trophy. There lies an important opportunity for the Dutchman to collect prize money and safeguard his position in the world rankings.

According to Van der Voort, the pressure will only increase this season. “Everyone is going to be breathing down Van Gerwen’s neck this year," he stated. "That shouldn’t come as a surprise. He has to perform so much that he climbs out of there."

That makes 2026 a crucial year for Van Gerwen. With a combination of personal challenges, illness, and strong competition, he faces the task of proving once again that he still belongs among the absolute world elite.