These are the top 10 best Belgian darters of all time

Belgium has had several excellent darters over the years. Making a list of the best ten of all time therefore remains a subjective thinking exercise. However, we are making an attempt.

1. Dimitri Van den Bergh

The only position there can really be no discussion about. The 30-year-old from Antwerp (currently living in Sint-Truiden) is the only Belgian who has already won one or more major titles at the PDC, the absolute top of the darts world. Van den Bergh was already known as a huge talent in youth and won the PDC Youth World Championship twice. In 2020, he finally broke through to the big boys by winning the World Matchplay. In the Winter Gardens in Blackpool, he defeated Gary Anderson 18-10 in the final.

'The Dreammaker' also confirmed the following years by winning several Players Championships and tournaments of the World Series of Darts. Meanwhile, he is in the top ten of the world rankings and at the beginning of March this year he added a second major title to his record with the UK Open. Van den Bergh is also still young and has everything in him to win several more major titles in the coming years and who knows, maybe even a world title.

Dimitri Van den Bergh won this year's UK Open

2. Kim Huybrechts

Won no major titles yet, but the 38-year-old from Antwerp was the first Belgian in the PDC to really compete for prizes at the majors. Obtained his Tour Card in 2011 and already reached the final at the Players Championship Finals a year later, where he lost 13-6 to Phil Taylor. 'The Hurricane' may not have won any majors yet, but he has already won two tournaments on the European Tour and also two Players Championships. Moreover, with his older brother Ronny, he lost the final of the World Cup of Darts against England in 2013.

Huybrechts was also the first Belgian ever to be allowed to participate in the prestigious Premier League Darts (twice, in fact) and with his performance was one of the founding fathers for the breakthrough of professional darts in Belgium. At 38, he has dropped to outside the top 32 of the world rankings and is looking for a new momentum.

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3. Andy Baetens

The only Belgian to ever capture an adult world title simply belongs in the top three best Belgian darters of all time. The East-Fleming dominated the WDF circuit in 2023 and placed the crown on top in early December by becoming world champion at the iconic Lakeside Country Club by defeating Dutchman Chris Landman in the final. A player who rarely throws below 90 average, Baetens was seen as a "certainty" for a Tour Card early this year.

Andy Baetens proudly poses with his World Cup trophy

At Q-School, however, the first two days were particularly difficult, but on day three he showed his class and captured that coveted Tour Card. In his first months on the Pro Tour, 'The Beast' already managed to score some nice wins and has now moved up to 89th place in the world rankings. Moreover, he is in a good position to qualify for the World Cup. If Baetens can maintain this progression in the coming years, nothing stands in the way of a long adventure at the PDC.

4. Geert De Vos

Between 2012 and 2018 seven consecutive years present at the BDO World Championship, with a quarterfinal in 2017 (5-4 loss against Darryl Fitton) as his best result. Yet above all winner of the World Trophy in 2015, a BDO major where he beat Jeffrey de Graaf 10-9 in the final. Also good for several international titles, such as England Open, Estonian Open and French Open. In 2021, he ventured to Q-School and captured a Tour Card for the next two years. However, De Vos combined work, family life and darts all this time and that combination proved difficult. The Aalsten native lost his Tour Card at the end of 2022 and has not made another attempt at Q-School since then. In early March of this year he managed to qualify for the Belgian Darts Open via the Home Nation Qualifier, but in the first round Peter Wright proved too strong. It remains to be seen where (WDF/PDC) and how often we will see De Vos in action in the coming years.

5. Erik Clarys

Won the 1995 Winmau World Masters somewhat out of nowhere, becoming the first Belgian ever to capture a major title. In the final, he defeated reigning world champion Richie Burnett. Clarys won several Belgian and international titles and attended the BDO World Championship six times, with a quarterfinal in 2003 (5-1 defeat to Raymond van Barneveld as his best performance.

Erik Clarys in action at the BDO World Cup

The Antwerp native was not only a pioneer by being the first Belgian to win a major, he was also the first Belgian to compete full-time on the PDC Pro Tour. He participated in the PDC World Championship twice and even reached the quarter-finals of the UK Open in 2005. 'The Sheriff' might have ranked a little higher in these rankings had he not broken his right elbow in June 2006 while falling from a ladder. Despite multiple surgeries afterwards, Clarys was never able to use his right arm at full strength and it proved impossible to continue his darts career. For several years, however, Clarys made a tasted reappearance in the darts world as a commentator at VTM 2.

6. Leo Laurens

In 1993, "The Lion of Antwerp" was the first Belgian ever to become number one in the world. He played his entire career in the BDO association and reached the quarter-finals of the World Championship in 1997, where he lost 4-3 to Steve Beaton. Laurens won several Belgian and international titles, but never managed to win a major. Injury problems forced him to end his career prematurely.

7. Mario Vandenbogaerde

Semi-final at a World Championship, there are not many Belgians who can say that. Vandenbogaerde did so in 2020 at the very last BDO World Cup, where he eventually lost 6-4 to Jim Williams in that semifinal. It was a return to the top for the West-Fleming, after he was already among the Belgian top in the early 2000s, but then lost the joy in darts. However, under the influence of his wife, support and refuge in good and bad days, Vandenbogaerde decided to give his career a fresh start and after that semifinal at the BDO World Championship, he made the move to the PDC. Vandenbogaerde captured his Tour Card in 2022, lost it late last year, but recaptured it early this year at Q-School. The now 51-year-old Belgian is certainly not played out yet and 'Super Mario' hopes to show a lot of great things in the coming years.

Mario Vandenbogaerde in action

8. Ronny Huybrechts

The evergreen of Belgian darts has been around since the early 1990s. For a long time mainly active in his own country, but in 2013 he decided, following his brother Kim, to take his chance at Q-School. And with success, as "The Rebel" immediately captured his Tour Card. That same year, alongside Kim, he reached the final at the World Cup of Darts, where the England of Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis proved just too strong.

Huybrechts reached five World Cup appearances between 2014 and 2018, but never got past the second round. By the way, on his debut in 2014 he was drawn in the first round against his brother Kim, it was the first ever time a brother pair competed against each other at the World Cup and Kim won 3-1. His best performance was at the 2013 European Championship, where he lost 11-7 to Simon Whitlock in the semifinals. Huybrechts lost his Tour Card at the end of 2019, so at the age of 54, his career with the PDC seemed over. But with Huybrechts, you're never done, as was evident early last year when he still regained his Tour Card. Due to a busy work schedule, however, Huybrechts cannot participate in all tournaments and thus retaining his Tour Card will be a difficult task.

Ronny Huybrechts in action

9. Frans Devooght

Perhaps a lesser known name, but this West-Fleming achieved a feat in the mid-80s by winning the highly regarded Dutch Open twice in a row (1984 and 1985). Twice participated in the BDO World Championship, but never made it past the second round. Devooght, who captured his last major title in 1991 with the Belgian Championship, died in 2008.

10. Mike De Decker

Tenth and last in this top ten is perhaps (too) low for this great talent. However, De Decker is still waiting for his first major title, although he certainly has the potential to provide it in the coming years. Conquered his Tour Card in 2016, but it took some time before he really found his place in the PDC. Due to his strong performances at (mainly) the Players Championships, he has now advanced to 36th place in the world rankings and is now the second Belgian behind Van den Bergh.

De Decker has everything in him to further climb up the world rankings in the coming years and has already been tipped as a future major winner by Peter Wright, among others. It remains to be seen whether he can continue his progression. If so, Belgium has gold in its hands with this 28-year-old Belgian.