"They are missing a really good player and Ricardo Pietreczko won't make it" - Michael van Gerwen's brutal assessment of German darts
PDC
Darts has been extremely popular in Germany for years. However, a German major winner is still some time away. The first German on the world ranking list is only 23rd. Michael van Gerwen does not think that a German world champion will emerge any time soon.
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Many European Tour tournaments take place in Germany, the World Cup of Darts has also taken place there for years, and it often plays to packed halls. "It's getting bigger and bigger. But one thing is clear: Germany needs really, really good players. That's what's missing right now," Michael van Gerwen said to Augsburger Algemeine.
"Martin Schindler, Gabriel Clemens and Florian Hempel all throw well, but they need to take the next step," continues the Dutchman. "That's important for such a big country, but also puts pressure on their shoulders."
Ricardo 'Pikachu' Pietreczko in action
Pietreczko
Van Gerwen mentioned three top German darters above, but it is notable that he does not mention one by name and that is Ricardo Pietreczko, the current world number 30 and the second German in the world rankings. "Ricardo is not that good," Van Gerwen said. "He's nice, but he can't hurt anyone."
The 35-year-old Dutchman therefore sees it as bleak for the Germans that there will be a world champion from their country in the next decade. "There is also no German participant is the Premier League. Then you don't make any steps, while everyone continues to develop."
So does Van Gerwen have an explanation for why there are so many strong darters walking around in the Netherlands? "I don't know. I don't know if people play more darts here and I don't really care. One thing is certain: the crowd in Germany is great. I'm here 15 weeks a year and I always enjoy that. It can get even bigger and I think it will."
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𝗔 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝗿𝗸!📍 Nice to see Adrian again always a good laugh between us. pic.twitter.com/4QJ2zRxPo1
— Michael Van Gerwen (@MvG180) February 14, 2025
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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