Michael van Gerwen's Players Championship 15 triumph in Leicester has reignited the debate over whether the Dutchman can still win another World Championship title, according to the DartsNews Podcast. Cohosts Kieran Wood and Nicolas Gayer dissected Van Gerwen's performance, which included an 8-5 win over Dirk van Duijvenbode in the final and a stunning 7-0 semi-final demolition of Martin Schindler, where Van Gerwen averaged 122.34 while Schindler averaged above 108 without a single dart at double.
Wood described the performance as 'ridiculous' given Van Gerwen's title drought, stating: 'When he's on, he is still one of the best players in the world.' Gayer added that when Van Gerwen plays like that, he is 'unbeatable' and 'near unplayable.' However, the podcast panel questioned whether Van Gerwen can sustain that level across a full Ally Pally campaign. Wood bluntly said: 'I don't think he'll win another World title, no. He's definitely got TV titles in him, but the World Championship seems to always go to the best player in the world, and I don't think he is the best player in the world.'
Van Gerwen's 2026 season has shown both sides of the argument. He won the Bahrain Darts Masters in January and the Players Championship 15 title, but missed Premier League Finals Night for the second consecutive year. Wood noted the inconsistency: 'The problem is, though, that at the next event, he can't back it up. He goes out first round.' Gayer asked directly whether the Leicester win is a sign of a return to form or just a single highlight, and Wood concluded that Van Gerwen is 'not back in terms of what he was in the mid-2010s,' but remains a title contender because 'on any single given day, he can beat anyone.'
