"Raymond hoped to assume the captain role, but that didn’t sit well": Why Van Gerwen-Van Barneveld dream World Cup duo didn't initially work

After England, the Netherlands stands as the most successful nation in the history of the World Cup of Darts. However, it's been seven years since the team in orange last lifted the trophy. That triumph came in 2018, when Michael van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld formed a formidable partnership to claim the title. A golden duo on paper—yet, as Vincent van der Voort recently revealed, their collaboration hasn’t always been smooth sailing.

Van der Voort recalled a less-than-glorious chapter from 2013, when Van Gerwen and Van Barneveld first joined forces for the Netherlands. Expectations were sky-high, but the campaign ended in disappointment, with the Dutch side crashing out in the first knockout round against a modest Finnish team. The defeat, according to Van der Voort, was largely due to the clash of egos between the two top stars—a topic he discussed in the latest episode of the Darts Draait Door podcast.

“At the time, Raymond was the seasoned veteran and Michael was just starting to break through, although he was already higher in the rankings,” Van der Voort recalled. “There was a discussion about who should take the lead in the team.”

“Raymond hoped to assume the captain role, but that didn’t sit well with Michael at all,” he laughed. “Raymond suggested it gently, but Michael shut it down immediately: ‘I’m number one, period.’ That didn’t go over well with Raymond.”

The lack of chemistry was evident, Van der Voort said. “Raymond tried to involve Michael, but that approach just doesn’t work with him. You have to give him space. A year later, they figured that out—and suddenly, they became a fantastic pair.”

Van Barneveld, he added, had initially tried to impose too much of a team structure. “He eventually realised that with Michael, you just have to let him be. Michael is like a bouncing ball—full of energy and unpredictability. Over time, Raymond adapted beautifully into the second-in-command role. It took some learning, but it worked.”

Michael van Gerwen will not feature at this year’s World Cup of Darts (June 12–15). He had already announced his withdrawal prior to news breaking of his split with longtime partner Daphne. In his absence, 22-year-old Gian van Veen will make his tournament debut, teaming up with Danny Noppert for the Netherlands.

Still, much of the spotlight in Frankfurt will be on the newly formed English super-duo: reigning world champion Luke Littler and current world number one Luke Humphries. Together, they form what many are calling the most exciting pairing England has ever fielded in World Cup history.