DARTS ACE BELIEVES BARNEY CAREER IS CLOSE TO THE END
12/08/2025 By Aaron Nijjar
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD’S career is in “decline” and it “could be the end” for the darts legend, claims Matt Edgar.
Five-times World Champion Van Barneveld last major semi-final came at the 2022 Grand Slam and he hasn’t reached the quarter-finals at Ally Pally for seven years.
‘Barney’ was dumped out in the first round of the World Matchplay last month, losing 10-6 to Michael van Gerwen and averaging just 87.10 at the Winter Gardens.
The Dutchman’s last trophy came in 2024 at the Players Championship Five, but since then he’s made just three quarter-finals on the ProTour.
Former pro Edgar admits Barneveld’s days a top contender at the oche could be done.
He said on his YouTube channel Edgar TV: “Raymond van Barneveld is now outside the world’s top 32 position.
“He is currently not in the World Grand Prix as things stand and not in a few others as well.
“Not only that this could be the end of Barneveld now.
“We have heard him talk about possible retirement and maybe he doesn’t have it anymore.”
Edgar pointed to the 58-year-old’s recent appearance in the seniors circuit as a possible sign of where his future lies.
He added: “He is sliding away and played a World Seniors event recently.
“That could be telling about where Barneveld thinks his future lies.
“He did not win that event the World Seniors Champion of Champions.
“He lost to Ross Montgomery on that occasion and then went and underperformed at the World Matchplay.
“I think we are seeing the decline now of Raymond van Barneveld.
“I could be wrong but I think this could be the end of Raymond as a top contender.”
Image by Taylor Lanning.
