Famous PSV fan and athlete expects little from the Netherlands: “Not even a ten percent chance that we’ll win the World Cup”
1 min readThis week the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off, and the Netherlands national team is also taking part. Next Sunday, the team led by head coach Ronald Koeman, with Guus Til in the squad, will play their first group match against Japan.
Expectations in the Netherlands about Oranje are generally not high. Also dart player and PSV fan Michael van Gerwen is pessimistic about the squad of Ronald Koeman.
This is what Van Gerwen tells a reporter from Online Darts TV during a video call. The darts player is now teaming up with his compatriot Gian van Veen for the World Cup of Darts, and this tournament also begins next Thursday.
''There's not even a ten percent chance that we'll win the World Cup. You can't just rely on the defense; you also have to be able to score, right? If you don't have a striker'' says the PSV fan to the reporter.
Yet Van Gerwen hopes that the Netherlands will go as far as possible. ''I could say a lot about this, but I’m not going to. We’re not even among the top five favorites, let me put it that way. But of course you want your country to do well—that’s the first thing you want'', the darts player continues.
As a last, the PSV fan is asked who has a better chance of winning the World Cup when he has to choose between the Netherlands national team and the duo Van Gerwen & Van Veen. ''We have a much bigger chance, let that be clear. A hundred percent,'' concludes Van Gerwen.
Comments13
🔥 Gakpo looked sharp in the build-up. But if they want more control, they need someone to slow the tempo after winning the second ball. Right now it becomes transition football every time.
Wie looks meeeeeega on the counter, but tbh we leave the space behind the wing too often. Get that sorted and we are levels above. 💯⚽
"[quote from the article]" is exactly the issue for me. PSV can dominate possession, but without sharper runs from the wingers, we end up recycling the ball around the box. It looks nice, but it does not always kill the game. 👀
"showing up" is exactly what we need, but we also need defensive discipline. If Tillman drifts too far, the 8 role gets messy and the press falls apart.
No joke, Veerman has to be cleaner on the turn. When he plays those 1st time passes, PSV look like a machine, when he hesitates it feels like we slow down.
No offense, but if we keep rotating like this without a clear 9, we are basically asking for trouble. The article mentions control, yet i saw moments where we were flat and predictable.
That lineup idea is mid tbh. If the fullback is bombing forward without cover, we will get punished on the counter, not once but repeatedly.
Ziyech on the ball is fire, but i swear the final pass has to be quicker. If he takes one extra touch, teams just reset and we lose the moment. 🤬
I think the pressing triggers are on point, but our transition defense is still too slow. Last time we conceded early in the second half, that same gap inside showed up again.
Eens... Luuk de Jong on the bench again is always a risk. I just hope the setup gives the winger enough space to cut inside, otherwise it turns into endless crosses 😅
If PSV is really going to press higher with this midfield shape, im all for it. But the moment we lose the second ball behind the 6, opponents will walk through that channel.
If PSV are playing that high line again, dont be surprised when teams just go over the top. tbh the midfield has to screen the half-spaces better, otherwise Gakpo and Til are stuck defending too much.
If that PSV midfield shape is real, it explains why we look so good in build-up but shaky in the final 3rd. Bruma might get too isolated if the fullback doesnt push higher. 🔥