Raymond van Barneveld compared to Johan Cruyff: "But I don’t think anyone in Kazakhstan knows who he is"
PDC
Raymond van Barneveld has once again secured his place at the World Darts Championship. The five-time world champion will step up to the oche for a record 34th time at a world championship this December. His qualification has sparked discussion beyond the world of darts. Former top hockey players Ellen Hoog and Naomi van As considered whether Van Barneveld holds the same status in his sport as football legend Johan Cruijff.
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In their weekly podcast for Sportnieuws.nl, the two Olympic champions were asked whether Van Barneveld’s legacy could be compared with Cruijff’s. The Hague native once said in an interview that he belonged in the same sporting company.
Hoog disagrees. “I don’t agree, but I’ll explain why,” she says. She does admire the way Van Barneveld has secured another World Championship place. “Van Barneveld is going to the World Championship for the 34th time. That makes him the record holder. It was really tense, though. There was a lot of pressure.”
The podcast also discusses Van Barneveld’s surprising explanation for his improved performances. The Dutchman recently revealed that a new pair of white trainers had helped him.
“He switched his shoes for Nikes,” Hoog explains. “They have a higher sole, and now he’s getting all his darts in. He literally said: ‘I’ve played in them for two days, and the darts are landing differently in the board.’ You change something after 42 years, and suddenly it works. So he’ll be wearing black Nikes at the World Championship.”
Hoog says comparison between Raymond van Barneveld and Johan Cruijff goes too far
Van As has no doubt that Van Barneveld played a major role in making darts popular in the Netherlands. “He’s the one who put the Netherlands on the map,” she says.
Hoog, however, believes it is difficult to compare the international profiles of Johan Cruijff and Raymond van Barneveld. She sees more similarities between Van Barneveld and former professional footballer Andy van der Meijde.
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“He says it’s mainly about fame, too. But I don’t think anyone in Kazakhstan knows who he is, whereas they do know Johan Cruijff. I’d compare him with Andy van der Meijde,” Hoog says.
The former hockey player believes the strongest parallels lie in the course of the two athletes’ careers. “He also had a fantastic career, followed by a major slump. Now he’s doing well again, career-wise,” she continues.
Van As then suggests a meeting between the two. “Has Van Barneveld ever been in his car (for the programme Bij Andy in de Auto, ed.)? I’d love to see that.”
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For Van Barneveld, attention now turns to his next appearance at Alexandra Palace. After a difficult season, he has qualified for the World Championship, but his position in the draw is far from ideal. He is not among the seeded players and could therefore face a tough opponent in the opening round.
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Hoog hopes the former world champion can make his mark on the sport’s biggest stage once again. “Hopefully he’ll make it a few rounds further this time, but he isn’t seeded. He could even face Luke Littler in the first round,” she concludes.
Samuel GillChief Content Officer
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
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