"You can't compare Phil Taylor to me, but I've won more than Barney" - Michael van Gerwen assesses his place in darts history

Michael van Gerwen begins the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship on Friday, December 20th. The 35-year-old Dutchman, this year's third seed at Alexandra Palace, enters in the second round will take on the winner of the duel between James Hurrell and Jim Long.

Van Gerwen did not manage to win a single major this year, so he is heading to the World Darts Championship with his form a little less than in previous years. "My preparation has been slightly different to previous years but you have to deal with circumstances," he says in conversation with Sky Sports. "I've been playing a little bit better in the last month but at the moment there is still more work to do. I have to play a bit better and more consistent - that's the way forward. Too many things [have gone wrong]. Little bit of confidence, things are not clicking, but it's something I have to work on."

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Van Gerwen usually always starts the World Darts Championships as one of the absolute top favourites. This year though, that role has fallen to the English duo of Luke Humphries and Luke Littler. "I'm not really worried about what they do because I have to deal with my own situation," Van Gerwen insists. "The world championship is a different tournament and I never play bad there so that's a good thing. My darts have to do the talking now."

Michael van Gerwen in action

Despite his consistently high level over more than a decade, Van Gerwen remains stuck at three world titles. "I think I deserve to win the title more than three times but that’s the way darts goes unfortunately sometimes," reflected the Dutchman. "I probably deserve to win four or five in my opinion, but I've still got plenty of time. There's no point looking back because it's not going to bring me any more titles. Questions like 'could have' and 'should have' doesn't count."

The biggest regret Van Gerwen has, is his first World final in 2013, which he lost to Phil Taylor. "I've just been unlucky because the guy I'm playing in the final is playing the game of his life. I missed darts to go 5-2 up against Phil Taylor in the 2013 final – that's probably my biggest regret," he recalls. "Losing in the semi-finals to Rob Cross with a couple of darts at double 16 and double 8. Michael Smith threw a fantastic nine-darter but the leg after I missed three darts at a double. If I win that set I won’t lose the match. You can only blame yourself, but I didn’t play well in that moment. Unfortunately that can happen as well."

Van Gerwen has been compared to Taylor before, although his 16 world titles seem completely elusive. "You can't compare Phil Taylor to me because we're playing darts in different eras. It's like comparing Messi with Pele," he concludes. "I deserve one or two more world titles minimum. You need to be realistic. I've won more than Barney. He's a four-time Lakeside champion. He won one PDC world title and that was in 2007! I've had so many great memories at Ally Pally, great wins, but some tough defeats - that's the way darts goes."

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