Following another first round exit in a Major tournament, former world number one Colin Lloyd has questioned whether Michael van Gerwen still has the ‘hunger’ that previously made him such a dominant force in darts.
A first round loss to Ryan Joyce at the 2026 World Grand Prix is the third Major tournament first round exit for Michael van Gerwen so far in 2026.
There was a time when MVG won five World Grand Prix titles in the span of just eight years, a level of dominance that was typical of him during the 2010s.
See related – Only four darts players have won multiple World Grand Prix titles – here’s the list
Having failed to make the at least the quarter-finals of any individual Major tournament so far in 2026 though and failing to 9th overall in the PDC Order of Merit rankings, MVG could have his worst season in over 15 years.
Former world number one Colin Lloyd has suggested Michael van Gerwen could be losing the ‘fire’ that contributed to so many dominant years in the PDC, raising fresh concerns over the three-time World Champion’s long-term trajectory at the top of the sport.
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Has Michael van Gerwen ‘Lost the Hunger’ for Darts?
Speaking on Sky Sports’ Love The Darts podcast, Colin Lloyd assessed the potential reasons for Michael van Gerwen’s declining form and questioned whether the Dutchman still has the ‘hunger’ that once made him the most feared darts player on the planet.
“Perhaps just that little bit of hunger has gone,” Lloyd stated during the podcast. “There’s no question that Michael is still a class player, but it’s just a case of when you start losing that little bit of hunger and you lose that little bit of fire in you…”
MVG has had some issues in his personal life to deal with over the last year, which he has admitted on multiple occasions to have impacted his performances.
The comments from Lloyd though come at a crucial time for MVG where he can no longer afford a string of poor results in Major tournaments…
Has Michael van Gerwen lost the hunger? 🤔 https://t.co/tUDOzHeoN8
— Sky Sports Darts (@SkySportsDarts) October 7, 2026
Michael van Gerwen Facing an Unwanted 14 Year First
There have been spells over the last few years where MVG has gone trophyless, especially in Major ranking events.
Even during barren periods though, he would still make a few ranking finals which kept him ranked top 3 in world darts.
After dropping to 9th last month, the 2026 World Grand Prix was something of a free hit for the Dutchman in terms of rankings.
He’d exited in the first round of the 2024 World Grand Prix so didn’t have to defend any prize money and with an increased prize fund this year, a deep run would have boosted his ranking position and eased some pressure coming into the business end of the darts season.
At present, an early exit at the 2027 World Championship has MVG projected to potentially drop outside of the top 16 for the first time in 14 years.
This is dependent on results in the next few Major ranking tournaments as well as other players performance at the World Championship, however, it’s still quite inconceivable to imagine MVG outside the top 16.
While players who lost form in recent years such as Gerwyn Price (ranked 4th) and James Wade (ranked 5th) have not only recovered but are thriving in 2026, others such as Michael Smith (ranked 37th) and Peter Wright (ranked 36th) are struggling to even qualify for some Major tournaments.
If Michael van Gerwen has lost the ‘hunger’ and ‘fire’, then Lloyd could be correct in that talent is not enough these days to keep you at the top of the darts pyramid.
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