'I don’t think I’ve had a better partner than Michael van Gerwen' - Raymond van Barneveld names closest friend in darts

Raymond van Barneveld was in action last weekend at the World Seniors Darts Champion of Champions, where he reached the semi-finals before losing out to eventual winner Ross Montgomery. While there, the five-time World Champion took part in a quick-fire Q&A, tackling some revealing questions about his career, ambitions, and personality.

Van Barneveld has long been a household name in the sport, but which celebrity would he most like to sit down and have a drink with? “Sylvester Stallone,” he answered without hesitation.

He was then asked a classic darts dilemma: if he’s on a 170 finish and his opponent isn't on a finish, does he go for the big fish or play it safe? “Go for it,” he said confidently. “Otherwise you shouldn’t leave it standing.”

Having been part of the darts scene for decades, who does Barney consider his closest companion in the sport?

“My right hand, maybe!” he laughed, before going on to praise Michael van Gerwen. “We’ve won many World Cups together — maybe one or two finals we lost — but we know each other quite well. We leave each other alone, but on the practice board and in matches, we know where we stand. I don’t think I’ve had a better partner than Michael van Gerwen.”

Naturally, one question focused on Van Barneveld’s greatest moment on the oche. His answer came instantly. “I think the first time I became World Champion. I had big dreams, of course—winning the world title—and I fell in '98, and then it all became reality. Since then, the dream was to be a professional darts player, and from that moment, I was. That was my biggest dream come true, and I’m still proud and still happy with that moment.”

As for his goals for the rest of the 2025 season? “Qualify for the majors and hopefully get some good results there, because I haven’t had good results in the last two years at majors. And then have a good run in the World Championship,” he said. “I really want to go far there again — I’m hungry for that.”