Rafael van der Vaart will play his first BDO darts tournament next month

Rafael van der Vaart will play his first BDO darts tournament next month

More used to gracing the fields of the Bernabeu and White Hart Lane, Rafael van der Vaart has been confirmed for his first official darts outing.

Next month will see the ex-Tottenham midfielder enter the Denmark Open, a British Darts Organisation (BDO) backed tournament. Conveniently, the event takes place in Esbjerg, where van der Vaart lives having ended his playing career in the Danish top-flight. In fact, he is married to local handball star Estavana Polman.

Taking place between May 4 and 5, the tournament is largely made up of little-known Scandinavian players but also features Rafa's brother Fernando. The category A+ BDO event offers a tidy £7,500 prize bonus, which would add to the 36-year-old's retirement pension.


He finished playing in Denmark after spells with Esbjerg and Midtyjlland. Most fans will remember him for stints with Spurs and Real Madrid, as well as his part in the Netherlands' run to the 2010 World Cup final.