Gary Anderson: “The best player in the world? That’s easy: Luke Humphries, but Van Gerwen is still the best in Europe”
Gary “The Flying Scotsman” Anderson, the two-time PDC World Champion and darts’ resident straight-talker, has delivered his definitive verdict on the current pecking order in a no-holds-barred interview ahead of the 2025 Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts (November 8–16, Wolverhampton):
“Who’s the best player in the world right now? That’s easy — Luke Humphries. But if you’re talking Europe? That’s still Michael van Gerwen. Simple.”
The quote, dropped on October 31, 2025, during a Weekly Dartscast appearance, has sent ripples through the PDC — especially with Humphries fresh off a gut-wrenching 11–10 European Championship final loss to Gian van Veen (October 26), and Van Gerwen enduring a first-round Players Championship exit to Wessel Nijman just days later.
Why Anderson’s Split Verdict Makes Perfect Sense
| Player | Global Case (Humphries) | European Case (MVG) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Titles | World Matchplay, Grand Slam, 3x Players Champs | Poland Darts Masters, 4x Players Champs, Baltic Sea Open |
| Majors | World Champion 2024, Matchplay 2025 | European Champion 2023, 3x Worlds |
| Ranking | World No. 1 (since Jan 2024) | World No. 3 (behind Littler) |
| Recent Form | 11–10 final loss to Van Veen (98.45 avg) | First-round PC exit (Oct 30) |
| Head-to-Head 2025 | Leads MVG 4–2 | — |
Anderson’s logic:
- Humphries = consistency + clutch (8 maximums in the Euro final, saved match darts).
- Van Gerwen = European dominance (owns the continent’s biggest stages, even in a “down” year).
“Luke’s got that cool head now. He doesn’t miss when it matters. MVG? He’s still the king of Europe — when he turns up, the crowd knows it. But globally? Humphries is the man.”
The Context: A Three-Horse Race?
Anderson’s take comes as Luke Littler (World No. 2) dominates headlines:
- 2025 earnings: £1.5m+
- Titles: World Championship, Grand Prix, Premier League
- Average in big finals: 104.2
Yet Anderson didn’t even mention The Nuke in his top tier.
“Littler’s a freak. He’ll win everything soon. But right now? He’s not consistent enough to be called the best. Humphries is.”
A brutal — but fair — assessment from a man who’s seen it all.
What’s Next?
- Grand Slam of Darts (Nov 8–16):
- Humphries (Group A)
- Van Gerwen (Group C)
- Littler (Group G)
- Anderson (Group E) — potential QF clash with MVG
- Players Championship Finals (Nov 17–22)
- World Championship (Dec 15–Jan 3) — Humphries defends
Anderson’s prediction:
“If Humphries brings his A-game to Ally Pally, no one touches him. But if MVG finds his 2019 form? Europe’s still his backyard.”
Bottom Line
Gary Anderson just drew the line in the sand.
- World’s Best: Luke Humphries ✅
- Europe’s King: Michael van Gerwen 👑
- The Future: Luke Littler ⏳
The oche is set.
Let the arrows fly. 🎯
