Van Barneveld opens up on retirement ahead of final PDC World Championship: ‘I can’t take the pain anymore’

Raymond van Barneveld will retire from darts at the end of the year after what has been an illustrious career.

Van Barneveld has one final PDC World Championship and he recently opened up on why he is retiring.

The Dutch legend said that it goes up and down for him and he can no longer string a run of wins together.

He said that’s when the bad feeling starts and that he can’t take the pain of it all anymore.

He will take on Darin Young as he aims for a fairytale ending despite that and he will hope to end his career on a firm high.

"It's been a really hard year, a disaster year you could say," said Van Barneveld.

"There have been some games where I play well and I think 'I can still do this', but in the next match it just doesn't happen and I don't know why. That's why I'm retiring.

"When I have these games where it doesn't happen for me that's when the sad feeling starts and I can't take the pain anymore.