I’m a former Real Madrid star however I took up professional darts and performed with Ally Pally winner
A former Premier League star who played for Real Madrid and in a World Cup final took up professional darts after calling time on his stellar playing career
Former Real Madrid and Tottenham star Rafael van der Vaart swapped football for darts a year after retiring.
The Dutch midfielder, who played in the 2010 World Cup final and ended his 18-year football career at Esbjerg in Denmark in 2018, is no stranger to the world of darts. Van der Vaart was often seen showing his love for darts during his playing days, having likely been inspired by fellow countrymen Michael van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld.
He even posed for a picture alongside Vincent van der Voort during the 2011 PDC World Championships, while still playing for Spurs. And, in May 2019, he traded the pitch for the oche at the BDO (British Darts Organisation) Denmark Open in Esbjerg, where his brother Fernando also took part.
While mainly comprising little-known Scandinavian darts players, the Denmark Open has been won by some of the sport’s biggest names, including Phil Taylor, Eric Bristow, Raymond van Barneveld and Gary Anderson.
Van der Vaart made an impressive start in the competition, securing a 4-2 victory over local player Thomas Anderson in his opening match. But his dream run was cut short by Mogens ‘Turbo’ Christensen, who represented Denmark at international level and was a former semi-finalist in the event.
The former midfield maestro could only muster an average of 54 as he suffered a 4-0 thrashing. The same weekend saw him endure another 4-0 defeat at the Denmark Masters, this time at the hands of former WDF (World Darts Federation) World Cup runner-up Per Laursen.
Before his professional debut, Van der Vaart had taken part in celebrity tournaments, teaming up with then-world champion Van Gerwen in early 2019 at the Celebrity Darts Championship, where the duo lost in the final.
Van der Vaart, 42, played more than 500 senior games across his football career. He began at Ajax before enjoying spells at Hamburg, Real Madrid, Tottenham, Real Betis, Midtjylland and Esbjerg.
He also earned 109 caps for the Netherlands, netting 25 goals, and was part of the squad that fell to Spain in the 2010 World Cup final in South Africa. The Dutchman made 63 Premier League appearances for Spurs between 2010 and 2012, scoring 24 goals.
After hanging up his boots, he remained in Esbjerg, where his partner, Dutch international handball legend Estavana Polman, played for the local team.
