Van Barneveld opens darts shop: "Who better to ask questions than the five-time world champion?"

Raymond van Barneveld has opened a darts shop called Barney's Darts and Trophies in his hometown of the Hague.

In the shop you can in addition to darts equipment have your photo taken with the various trophies that 'Barney' won during his career.

"For me it became normal. You no longer see how special something is. In those ten months that I had stopped, I started to think about the beautiful things. And there are quite a few. football thinks you quickly think of Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi. People just want their football boots. Well, if Raymond van Barneveld has a darts shop, who better to ask questions than the five-time world champion? " said Van Barneveld to AD.nl.

Early next year, van Barneveld wants to conquer a Tour Card again, but he must first pass Q-School for that. "Exactly, the tournaments I used to hate. But then what am I going to do? Sit on the couch with my phone all day? I'm too young for that."

But what if the comeback is disappointing? "I've found the moment in my life when I'm proud of myself. I don't have much more to prove, I just love the game too much. It's been part of my life for 35, 36 years, from a 17- birthday boy until now, 53 years old. You don't just put that aside for a moment. And I did, by stopping. I feel it is not closed properly. I am a different person now. no longer think negative, only positive. And I have nothing more to lose. "