VAN GERWEN SLAMS HIS OWN WORLD TITLE HOPES

MICHAEL VAN GERWEN believes the Netherlands have less chance of winning the football World Cup than he does of becoming world champion again.

Mighty Mike will team up with world No.3 Gian van Veen at next week’s World Cup of Darts in Frankfurt, with the pair seeded second behind tournament favourites England.

The 48-time major winner has featured in the event just once since 2022, suffering a shock second-round exit on his return last year.

But while MVG is confident about Hollands’ hopes on the oche, he admits he has little faith in the national football side.

Asked whether the Dutch football team or darts team had the better chance of success, Van Gerwen said: “We have a much bigger chance.

“That’s one thing for sure — 100 per cent.

“Of course I’m looking forward to it. I’ve never played with Gian before, so that’s a good thing. I’ve never played this format with him either.”

Van Gerwen delivered a brutal verdict on the Oranje’s chances in North America when the tournament commences next week.

He added: “Minimal. Not even ten per cent of me winning the World Championship could you imagine that.

“They do not have a striker. I can say a lot about this but I am not going to do it. We are not in the top five favourites let us put it that way.

“But of course you want your country to do well. That is the first thing you want.”

Van Gerwen eased past Oskar Lukasiak 6-2 in the opening round of the Nordic Darts Masters despite producing a modest 88.76 average.

MVG currently tops the World Series rankings after winning in Bahrain and reaching the final in Saudi Arabia earlier this year.

But away from the circuit, the world No.4 has endured a disappointing campaign, failing to reach a major quarter-final and missing out on a place in the Premier League play-offs.

Van Gerwen insists performances no longer concern him as much as they once did, with results now his only priority following a shift in mindset over the last few years.

He added: “No, that’s not true. If you know what I’ve been saying, I’ve always said throughout my whole life that the win is the most important thing.

“Of course, if you can win nicely, that’s great, but getting the win over the line is always the first thing that matters. I know you want me to say something that’s not there.

“Of course games are sometimes hard work. Gerwyn Price had hard work, he could maybe have lost. Stephen Bunting had hard work. That’s the way our sport is.

“People try to make it a thing and try to make a story about things that aren’t there. But everyone could see I was winning that game any day of the week.”