Michael van Gerwen brutally warned ‘no one is afraid of you anymore’ as darts icon faces unprecedented challenge

Michael van Gerwen has been warned that “no one is afraid” of him anymore following a dip in form.

The three-time PDC World Darts Championship winner suffered a surprise early exit at the European Darts Trophy, losing to fellow Dutchman Niels Zonneveld over the weekend.

Van Gerwen, 36, has also slipped into the lower half of the Premier League Darts table despite making a strong start to the campaign.

Former pro and close friend Vincent van der Voort delivered a blunt assessment of his current level.

Speaking on the Darts Draait Door podcast, he said Van Gerwen is still producing high averages but failing at crucial moments.

He explained that while averaging 107 shows the quality is still there, it’s the missed opportunities in key moments that are now costing him matches.

Van der Voort also claimed Van Gerwen no longer carries the same aura that once intimidated opponents.

In the past, players believed they had little chance if he hit top form, but that fear factor has now disappeared. Instead, many now feel that if he has an off day, he is beatable — and those dips in performance are happening more frequently.

According to Van der Voort, the responsibility now lies with Van Gerwen to rebuild that dominance through hard work and consistency.

Van Gerwen will look to respond when he faces Gian van Veen in Dublin on Thursday night in the Premier League.

Despite his concerns about Van Gerwen, Van der Voort was full of praise for the new wave of Dutch talent following a strong showing in Göttingen.

He highlighted the success of players like Zonneveld and Wessel Nijman, who claimed his first senior title during an impressive weekend for the Netherlands.

Van der Voort described it as a fantastic period for Dutch darts, noting how many players made deep runs in the tournament and suggesting a new generation is beginning to take over.

Speaking about Nijman, he was particularly impressed by his dominance, saying no one came close to matching his level throughout the event.

He pointed out that while Nijman previously struggled in key finishing moments, he now looks far more clinical and composed under pressure.

Van der Voort added that Nijman’s confidence and overall presence have improved significantly, with very few missed darts, and believes it is only a matter of time before he breaks into the world’s top 16.

At that level, he concluded, anything is possible.