There are plenty of things that can distract a professional darts player from the job of winning matches, but Football Manager probably wasn’t the first thing fans expected to hear when discussing Kim Huybrechts’ struggles.
The Belgian star has enjoyed some impressive moments throughout his career, competed against the biggest names in the sport and reached major finals. However, his dedication away from the oche once became a serious talking point after his wife, Dana Verhaegen-Huybrechts, delivered an incredibly blunt assessment of his lifestyle.
Her comments were particularly interesting because they weren’t coming from someone unfamiliar with professional darts. Dana is also a darts player, meaning she understands exactly what it takes to compete at the highest level.
And while her words were certainly harsh, they raised an interesting question: how much talent can a professional player waste without the right discipline?
The World Championship defeat that brought everything into focus
The criticism followed a disastrous night at the 2024/25 PDC World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace.
Huybrechts faced Dutchman Richard Veenstra in the second round but suffered a humiliating 3-0 defeat in sets without winning a single leg. For a player with his experience and ability, it was an extremely disappointing result.
The Belgian did not attempt to hide his frustration afterwards, describing the defeat as “perhaps the biggest disappointment of my career”.
However, Dana believed there was more to his struggles than simply having a bad night on stage.
Speaking to Nieuwsblad Sport, she delivered a brutally honest assessment of her husband’s priorities at home.
“Kim is actually a spoiled brat. He’s addicted to Football Manager while I do everything around the house.”
She continued with another comment that certainly attracted attention:
“Kim has so much talent, but no character. Lazy is an understatement.”
Those are incredibly strong words, particularly when directed at a professional athlete who has spent years competing against some of the world’s best players.
But Dana’s criticism was not simply about his gaming habits. Her frustration appeared to centre on the difference between what Huybrechts was capable of achieving and the commitment she felt he was putting into his career.
Interestingly, she was still convinced that her husband possessed the ability to beat the very best.
She said: “I believe he can win against anyone if he is on form.”
That is arguably the most important part of the entire interview. Dana was not questioning his natural ability. She was questioning whether he was doing enough to make the most of it.
Football Manager became an unexpected talking point
For anyone unfamiliar with the game, Football Manager is a hugely popular football management simulation that allows players to take control of clubs, manage transfers, select tactics and build teams.
It is also notorious among its fans for being difficult to put down.
One more match can quickly become several hours, especially when a player is trying to complete a transfer window or rescue a struggling team from relegation.
Huybrechts is certainly not the only professional sportsman who enjoys the game. France internationals Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele have also been associated with Football Manager.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with having hobbies outside professional sport. In fact, athletes need opportunities to switch off from the pressure of competition.
However, there is an important distinction between enjoying a game and allowing it to interfere with professional responsibilities.
Darts requires concentration, repetition and an incredible amount of mental discipline. Players cannot simply turn up at a tournament and expect their natural ability to carry them through every match.
The margins at the top level are incredibly small. A missed double, a poor scoring visit or a momentary loss of concentration can completely change a match.
That is why Dana’s comments struck a chord. If Huybrechts was genuinely spending too much time playing Football Manager instead of practising, it would represent a frustrating waste of his potential.
Nevertheless, her comments should not be treated as proof that the computer game alone caused his disappointing performances. Professional sport is considerably more complicated than that.
Huybrechts was once one of Belgium’s biggest darts stars
It is important to understand why the criticism attracted so much attention.
Huybrechts, nicknamed The Hurricane, has enjoyed a career that many professional darts players would happily accept.
He reached the quarter-finals of the PDC World Championship during the 2011/12 tournament and subsequently established himself as a dangerous opponent on the professional circuit.
He also reached the 2012 Players Championship Finals, where he faced the legendary Phil Taylor, and helped Belgium reach the 2013 World Cup of Darts final.
Between 2013 and 2015, he collected notable European titles, including the Dutch Darts Masters and European Darts Grand Prix.
At his peak, he climbed as high as 12th in the PDC world rankings.
That is why his struggles became such a talking point. This was not a player who had never demonstrated the ability to compete with elite opposition.
He had already proved that he could produce outstanding performances against some of the biggest names in darts.
The problem was maintaining that level consistently.
For a player with his scoring power and experience, slipping away from the upper reaches of the rankings must have been particularly frustrating.
A difficult period forced him to rethink his career
Huybrechts has since acknowledged that his problems went beyond simply practising less.
In an interview with the Darts Draait Door podcast in May 2026, the Belgian opened up about a difficult two-to-three-year period during which his confidence and enjoyment of the sport had suffered.
He described himself as being caught in a downward spiral, explaining that even victories were no longer giving him the satisfaction they once did.
His response was to make significant changes to his professional setup.
He changed management and began working much more closely with former Belgian darts star Erik Clarys. Their relationship has developed into a much more demanding training arrangement, with sessions taking place two or three times per week.
The focus has been on identifying weaknesses, improving his finishing and rebuilding his mental strength.
Physical fitness has also become a priority. Huybrechts revealed that he was working with dietitians and looking to spend more time in the gym.
He admitted that longer tournaments had exposed how important physical preparation could be, particularly when mental fatigue started affecting his performances.
That is a significant development because it shows that he has recognised the need to change his approach rather than simply hoping his old form will return.
The results suggest his hard work is paying off
There are already encouraging signs that the changes are making a difference.
In April 2026, Huybrechts produced an impressive performance at the German Darts Grand Prix, beating Luke Woodhouse 6-1 with a three-dart average above 100.
He subsequently lost 6-4 to Jonny Clayton, despite averaging 101.15 and recording an 80 per cent checkout percentage.
Speaking about his work with Clarys, Huybrechts explained that the former professional had been particularly focused on improving his finishing.
He also admitted that the demanding training schedule sometimes left him wanting a little more rest, but acknowledged that the hard work was beginning to pay off.
The numbers from his 2026 season make interesting reading.
According to the latest available match statistics, Huybrechts has won 100 of his 151 matches this year, giving him a winning percentage of approximately 66 per cent.
He also defeated Ryan Searle 6-1 at the European Championship in October before losing 10-3 to Stephen Bunting in the last 16.
He currently sits around 46th in the PDC world rankings. That is a considerable distance from his career-best position, but his recent results suggest that writing him off would be premature.
Can Kim Huybrechts finally fulfil his potential?
For me, the most interesting part of this story is not necessarily the Football Manager addiction. It is the question of what Huybrechts could have achieved with greater consistency throughout his career.
He has the experience, the scoring ability and the history of competing against elite opposition. Those qualities do not disappear overnight.
But professional darts is becoming increasingly competitive, with younger players arriving who are prepared to put enormous amounts of time into improving their games.
Huybrechts understands that better than most, and his recent decision to work harder on his weaknesses suggests he is not prepared to let his career fade away quietly.
Perhaps Dana’s brutally honest comments were exactly the wake-up call he needed, although there is no evidence that they alone triggered his recent improvements.
And there is nothing wrong with enjoying Football Manager. Even professional athletes deserve time away from their jobs.
The important thing is finding the right balance.
Huybrechts has already demonstrated that he can compete with the world’s best. Now he needs to prove that he can do it consistently again.
Do you think Kim Huybrechts wasted some of his best years through a lack of discipline, or has his talent simply been held back by difficult periods in his career? Fans will certainly have different opinions.