Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rafael van der Vaart made his professional darts debut in 2019, a year after retiring from football. The Dutchman, who played in the 2010 World Cup final, competed at the BDO Denmark Open in Esbjerg.
Van der Vaart, a known darts fan, started his campaign with a 4-2 victory over local player Thomas Anderson. However, he was eliminated in the second round by Mogens 'Turbo' Christensen, losing 4-0 with an average of just 54.
On the same weekend, he also suffered a 4-0 defeat to Per Laursen at the Denmark Masters. Prior to his professional debut, he had participated in celebrity events, including the Celebrity Darts Championship with Michael van Gerwen, where they lost in the final.
Van der Vaart, now 42, played over 500 senior football matches for clubs including Ajax, Real Madrid, Tottenham, and the Netherlands national team, scoring 25 goals in 109 appearances. He retired in 2018 after a stint with Danish club Esbjerg.
