Three-time world darts champion Michael van Gerwen has revealed the depth of his mental health struggles, admitting he could not remember the last time he felt truly happy as he takes a step back from competitive darts to prioritise his wellbeing.
In a candid interview with Dutch outlet Sportnieuws.nl, the 37-year-old Dutchman disclosed that a question from close friend and former tour professional Vincent van der Voort prompted a painful realisation about his emotional state in recent years. “Vincent asked me when I was truly a happy person. I couldn’t give an answer to that,” Van Gerwen said. “I really didn’t know. Purely because I hadn’t felt good for a long time. That did shock me” .
Van Gerwen, who dominated the sport for nearly a decade and held the world number one ranking for a record 2,559 consecutive days, has seen his form and ranking slide to ninth in the Order of Merit amid a turbulent period away from the oche . His marriage to Daphne ended after 17 years, and his father Henri was diagnosed with cancer in 2025, though he has since been recovering .
Reflecting on his trophy-laden prime, Van Gerwen admitted he failed to savour his success. “I didn’t enjoy the success enough. To me, that was the most normal thing in the world. I won about 160 PDC tournaments. It felt more like assembly line work,” he said . He acknowledged that the collapse of his marriage left him adrift. “You suddenly have to adjust on many levels. My life has changed completely,” he said, describing the difficulty of returning to an empty house after tournaments and adapting to life as a single father to children Zoë and Mike .
The Dutchman has also withdrawn from multiple events in recent months, including Premier League nights and European Tour competitions, citing medical issues, while questions have been raised by figures within the sport about whether he retains the hunger to compete at the highest level . Former world number one Colin Lloyd suggested that Van Gerwen’s priorities have shifted. “Michael has had a lot going on in his private life. He loves spending time with his kids. Perhaps just that little bit of hunger’s gone,” Lloyd said .
Despite the setbacks, Van Gerwen has been working on his physical condition, losing a significant amount of weight and stating he feels fitter than he has in years . He remains adamant that he is not finished with the sport and has set his sights on a fourth world championship title. “I want to become world champion at least one more time,” he said. “If I start enjoying life again and become the best version of myself, I can still achieve many great things. I am absolutely convinced of that” .
Van Gerwen also emphasised that his children remain his foremost priority, stating: “Mijn kinderen staan op één en darts op twee. Dat is mijn leven” . He has vowed to maintain a respectful relationship with his ex-wife for the sake of their children, saying he will never speak negatively about her publicly because “everything I say, our children can read online for the rest of their lives” .
The darts world now waits to see when the three-time champion will return to the stage, with Van Gerwen sending a defiant message to his rivals: “Ze zijn nog lang niet van me af. Ik ben te goed om niets meer te winnen” .
