Dutch Visit Boosts Van Gerwen

Michael van Gerwen & Raymond van Barneveld (Lawrence Lustig/PDC)

MICHAEL VAN GERWEN has prepared for his Betway World Cup of Darts title defence by playing darts with the Dutch national football team.

World number one Van Gerwen will team up again with Raymond van Barneveld as they bid to retain the World Cup of Darts title in Frankfurt from May 31-June 3, live on Sky Sports.

The pair have claimed the title twice in the last four years, with Van Barneveld also being a winner alongside Co Stompe in 2010 to give the Netherlands three World Cup triumphs.

Having been cheered on by footballer Robin van Persie as he won the Unibet Premier League title a fortnight ago, Van Gerwen was invited by manager Ronald Koeman to visit the Dutch squad on Sunday.

Van Gerwen was also presented with a signed shirt bearing his name as a memento of the visit, which came ahead of the Netherlands' friendly in Slovakia on Thursday.

Ironically, the Dutch team have missed out on qualification for football's World Cup, leaving Van Gerwen and Van Barneveld to battle for national glory over the coming weeks.

The Betway World Cup of Darts will be held at the Eissporthalle in Frankfurt, Germany from May 31-June 3, and broadcast live on Sky Sports and worldwide through the PDC's series of broadcast partners.

For tickets, visit www.pdc-europe.tv/tickets.