Van Persie full of praise for Van Barneveld: 'He is a darts legend, an icon'

Robin van Persie had the honor last Saturday to play with Raymond van Barneveld on his farewell evening at the AFAS Live in Amsterdam.

The two Dutch sport icons played a pairs exhibition. Each team consisted of a professional darts player and a Dutch celebrity. For example, Richie Burnett played with kick boxer Rico Verhoeven, while Wayne Mardle teamed up with Rafael van der Vaart. 'King of Bling' Bobby George formed a team with adult model Bobbi Eden.

Van Barneveld and Van Persie became the winners of the event after defeating Burnett and Verhoeven in the final. Van Persie was full of praise for the five-time World Champion.

''He put darts on the map. He started as a postman and then became world champion. Raymond is a darts legend, an icon'', the former Manchester United striker said.

"He is always completely himself and therefore sometimes a little too honest. As a top athlete, everyone experiences disappointments. Raymond is sometimes to harsh for himself, where I look for opportunities and areas for improvement. You cannot give more than you can.''

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