JESUS SALATE wants to win the £1million prize and be the ‘hand of wad’ as the Diego Maradona of darts.
The Buenos Aires battler will become the first Argentinian to play in the World Championship when he faces Ryan Meikle at the Ally Pally on December 19.
Salate, 42, admits that Maradona is his inspiration and uses the footie legend’s theme tune ‘Live is Life’ as his walk-on music.
He revealed: “I’m really excited. I hope to represent my country as best as possible.
“I play with my own personalised shirt and it has the Argentine flag on it. I love to represent Argentina in darts and be a top player.
“I don’t know if I’ll reach the level of Lionel Messi or Maradona, but why not? With faith and discipline, you can achieve great things.
“My walk-on is ‘Live Is Life’ by Opus. It came to me a month ago. It’s a song with a lot of energy, and for Argentinians, it automatically reminds us of one of our idols (Maradona).
“I didn’t know what darts were until I opened a bar in Spain and my brother-in-law kept beating me and making fun of me. From then on, I started practicing and he never beat me again. I started when I was about 25.
“My inspiration was Phil Taylor, the best of all time, not only for his game but also for his stage presence, whether he won or lost. And Gary Anderson for his style.”
Salate had a very strong World Cup earlier this year and hopes that experience helps him against Meikle, who pushed Luke Littler all the way in his opener a year ago.
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But he won’t want Argentina to cry for him if he doesn’t get the glory.
He added: “It’s the biggest stage in the world of darts. It’s impossible not to be excited. I’m working hard to control that.
“If I just want to play my best, I know I have limitations compared to a professional player, but if I want to keep improving, I have to feel confident and secure.
“I’ve watched many matches of Ryan, and he’s a great player. I hope we put on a good show for the audience.
“My target is to play 15 or 18 darts. That’s what I’ve been able to train for this year. I have limited time because of work, but if I play like that, even if I lose, I’ll be very happy.”
On how he’d spend the £1m as world champ, he added: “This would create a secure structure that will give me a return on my investment so I can live without working and just play darts.
“My plan is to turn professional. The idea is to go to Q-School in January and try, and if I get it, we’ll see how I manage financially. It’s difficult, but if you have faith, you can achieve it.
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LUK OUT!
Christmas decorations going up and the nights drawing in can only mean one thing… the return of the World Darts Championship!
Several superstars will be determined to slay defending champion Luke Littler at the Ally Pally spectacle.
And the world No1 is set to have his work cut out with an expanded 128-player field competing for a share of the huge prize fund.
But after recently completing the TV darts trophy haul, Littler is a nailed-on favourite to retain his title.
Here’s everything you need to know for this iconic competition…
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“I’m a fibre optic technician and I currently live in Malaga, Spain.
“I have two children Jesus and Ruben and my girlfriend Johana. She likes darts and supports me a lot. Many people in Argentina will be watching and my family will be watching even more on TV this time.
“I’m travelling to England on December 17. I want to arrive two days early to acclimatise. I’ve been there before; I played an open many years ago.”
Salate also wants to start 2026 with success at the Ally Pally and has the belief that his footie team can retain the World Cup in the summer.
He said: “The group is good, but Argentina is always a favourite. We’re very competitive in everything, and that makes us favourites. I hope they give us another victory.”
