Michael Van Gerwen has biggest ego in darts – it led to PDC cult hero punching him twice
Michael van Gerwen possesses the biggest ego in darts, according to friend and rival Luke Humphries. The Dutchman recently missed the opportunity of landing a fourth World Darts Championship title as he suffered defeat to Luke Littler at Alexandra Palace earlier this month. Van Gerwen has the biggest ego in darts… apparentlyGetty World No.3 Van Gerwen, is the second most successful player of all time behind the legendary Phil Taylor, so maybe that warrants the odd moment of self-importance That is a notion shared by 2024 world champion Humphries, who lifted the lid on Van Gerwen on the Happy Hour Podcast. Asked who had the biggest ego of all his rivals, the world No.1 said: “Well that’s easy, Michael van Gerwen.” Humphries then provided a little context as to why Van Gerwen’s approach works for him. “He wears it really well,” Humphries added. “It kind of suits him in a weird way. I think it’s a Dutch thing as well. He’s got a great friend in Vincent [van der Voort] and Vincent is really good for him.” If ‘good for him’ means keeping Van Gerwen in check then former star Van der Voort is certainly doing his job, according to Humphries. “Vincent has actually punched Michael a couple of times,” he bizarrely revealed before adding the caveat of: “But not like actually battering him.” “I think the first time was really early [in Van Gerwen’s career] and then they became friends and then about eight years ago, his ego was getting a bit high and he [Van der Voort] just walloped him,” Humphries added. “I think he showed Vincent disrespect and he doesn’t like that.” Despite the fisticuffs, Van Gerwen and Van der Voort share a close personal relationship. GettyHumphries shared details of his relationship with darts’ biggest names[/caption] So much so, that Van der Voort was handed the honour of being best man at Ven Gerwen’s wedding. “Vincent is one of the coolest people, he’s so straight talking, so funny, I get along really well with him and he’s a really good character,” Humphries said. And it appears that Van der Voort isn’t the only player on the circuit that Humphries enjoys spending his time with. “I get along with pretty much everybody,” he revealed. “I get along with Nathan Aspinall really well, I’m good friends with him. Joe Cullen too. “Michael van Gerwen, I’m good friends with him as well, he’s a really nice guy.” Humphries was thrust further into the limelight 12 months ago when he claimed his first world title by beating a relatively unknown Littler in the final. The teenage sensation, who got his hands on the trophy this year in an epic final, boasts a shy personality away from the oche according to Humphries. Discussing his relationship with the reigning world champion, Humphries said. “We don’t text each other when we’re not at events and we’re not checking up on each other. Humphries lifted the lid on his relationship with world champion Luke LittlerGetty “I think Luke’s a very shy person and I saw that when he first came into the PDC and I thought he needs someone he can go over to if he needs to. “I don’t like seeing him sit over in the corner and feel like he’s just got to play on his phone and nobody wants to speak to him. “There will be darts players out there who will be jealous of him, that will happen. I don’t know if that’s the case. “I can’t be jealous of him because at the time he came in, I was the world number one and world champion so there’s nothing to be jealous of. So I thought I’m going to be the one who goes over to him and makes him feel like he belongs here.” Humphries continued: “Ever since then we’ve just got along really well. We’re not best buddies all the time but we get along well. “I think he’s great for the sport. There’s no jealousy on my part because he’s making things better for us all. He’s a superstar and the difference between me and Luke is, I’m a superstar in darts, he’s a superstar globally. I’m a celebrity darts player, he’s a celebrity. “There’s a difference. If I won ten world titles that’s never going to change, he’s always going to be the biggest pull. “There’s no point fighting that, that’s just the way it is.”
Michael van Gerwen possesses the biggest ego in darts, according to friend and rival Luke Humphries.
The Dutchman recently missed the opportunity of landing a fourth World Darts Championship title as he suffered defeat to Luke Littler at Alexandra Palace earlier this month.
World No.3 Van Gerwen, is the second most successful player of all time behind the legendary Phil Taylor, so maybe that warrants the odd moment of self-importance
That is a notion shared by 2024 world champion Humphries, who lifted the lid on Van Gerwen on the Happy Hour Podcast.
Asked who had the biggest ego of all his rivals, the world No.1 said: “Well that’s easy, Michael van Gerwen.”
Humphries then provided a little context as to why Van Gerwen’s approach works for him.
“He wears it really well,” Humphries added. “It kind of suits him in a weird way. I think it’s a Dutch thing as well. He’s got a great friend in Vincent [van der Voort] and Vincent is really good for him.”
If ‘good for him’ means keeping Van Gerwen in check then former star Van der Voort is certainly doing his job, according to Humphries.
“Vincent has actually punched Michael a couple of times,” he bizarrely revealed before adding the caveat of: “But not like actually battering him.”
“I think the first time was really early [in Van Gerwen’s career] and then they became friends and then about eight years ago, his ego was getting a bit high and he [Van der Voort] just walloped him,” Humphries added.
“I think he showed Vincent disrespect and he doesn’t like that.”
Despite the fisticuffs, Van Gerwen and Van der Voort share a close personal relationship.
So much so, that Van der Voort was handed the honour of being best man at Ven Gerwen’s wedding.
“Vincent is one of the coolest people, he’s so straight talking, so funny, I get along really well with him and he’s a really good character,” Humphries said.
And it appears that Van der Voort isn’t the only player on the circuit that Humphries enjoys spending his time with.
“I get along with pretty much everybody,” he revealed. “I get along with Nathan Aspinall really well, I’m good friends with him. Joe Cullen too.
“Michael van Gerwen, I’m good friends with him as well, he’s a really nice guy.”
Humphries was thrust further into the limelight 12 months ago when he claimed his first world title by beating a relatively unknown Littler in the final.
The teenage sensation, who got his hands on the trophy this year in an epic final, boasts a shy personality away from the oche according to Humphries.
Discussing his relationship with the reigning world champion, Humphries said. “We don’t text each other when we’re not at events and we’re not checking up on each other.
“I think Luke’s a very shy person and I saw that when he first came into the PDC and I thought he needs someone he can go over to if he needs to.
“I don’t like seeing him sit over in the corner and feel like he’s just got to play on his phone and nobody wants to speak to him.
“There will be darts players out there who will be jealous of him, that will happen. I don’t know if that’s the case.
“I can’t be jealous of him because at the time he came in, I was the world number one and world champion so there’s nothing to be jealous of. So I thought I’m going to be the one who goes over to him and makes him feel like he belongs here.”
Humphries continued: “Ever since then we’ve just got along really well. We’re not best buddies all the time but we get along well.
“I think he’s great for the sport. There’s no jealousy on my part because he’s making things better for us all. He’s a superstar and the difference between me and Luke is, I’m a superstar in darts, he’s a superstar globally. I’m a celebrity darts player, he’s a celebrity.
“There’s a difference. If I won ten world titles that’s never going to change, he’s always going to be the biggest pull.
“There’s no point fighting that, that’s just the way it is.”
