RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD was urged to retire by fans after being knocked out in the first round of the World Darts Championships by world no 111 Stefan Bellmont.
The former world champion, 58, was comprehensively beaten 3-0 by the Swiss star and retirement questions will now inevitably be asked.
Van Barneveld, who is a five time world champion, was outclassed by Bellmont, who was much more clinical on the night.
The veteran star looked dejected on stage after failing to affect the scoreboards as he only managed to win two legs throughout the contest.
And fans were in agreement that Van Barneveld should quit darts before his form gets worse after the crushing defeat.
One wrote on X: “Raymond van Barneveld either needs to sort out his attitude and start believing again, or call it a day. It can’t go on like this for much longer.”
Another added: “I know everyone loves Van Barneveld but he really needs to call it a day. Sad to see a great end his career like this.”
And a third said: “Raymond Van Barneveld just needs to retire now. He will ALWAYS be a legend but He is finished its so sad to see.”
One added: “Surely Barneveld will not retire, but he’s on the way down so he should end his career before it gets worse.”
Van Barneveld has one PDC world championship title – which he won against Phil Taylor in 2007.
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He previously won four world championships under the BDO banner.
Van Barneveld initially retired in 2019 before making a U-turn to continue his career.
In 2021 he insisted he never wanted to retire from the sport, but has failed to make it past the quarter-finals or a major since his comeback.
And in September he sparked more fears of quitting darts once again after admitting he looked “miserable” during his 6-2 loss to Gerwyn Price in September.
After his defeat at the Hungarian Darts Trophy, he said: “I need to change. I know I sometimes look miserable on stage, I hear that a lot. But people don’t see what’s behind it.
“At home I practise four or five hours a day, then three more at tournaments, and sometimes you lose 6–1. How do you handle that? Nobody can tell you why you miss three darts at a double — you never get the answer.
“And when players face me, they know what to do to beat me, and they always seem to do the right thing. That’s mentally tough.”
