DUTCH stars Raymond van Barneveld and Co Stompe are looking to ease their country's World Cup pain when they compete in the Cash Converters World Cup of Darts at the Rainton Meadows Arena next month.
The pair, both big football fans, suffered disappointment when Holland lost to Spain in football's World Cup final in the summer.
Van Barneveld actually travelled to South Africa for the tournament and was in Johannesburg for the final, as Spain denied his country glory in a stormy final where the Dutch had seven players booked and one sent off before losing 1-0.
The duo will team up in darts' own World Cup, and hope to be able to take one major sporting trophy back to Holland from the tournament, played from December 3-5 at the Rainton Meadows Arena.
"We're trying to achieve something for Holland and it would be fantastic to win the World Cup," said Stompe.
"It's not going to be easy and we're going to have to be focused and on top of our game, but I think we'll play a different style to the way the Dutch football team played in the World Cup final.
"I was a little bit surprised that they went all the way to the final but Raymond obviously had more faith because he went to South Africa!
"But they didn't play the style of football I know they can play. They were trying to play on the counter-attack and score from there, but that's not what our game is about.
"Hopefully Raymond and I can show the sports fans at the World Cup what the Dutch game is about - entertaining, attacking and going forward.
"We want to give the fans plenty to cheer about!"
Stompe admits lining up alongside the five-time World Champion, Holland's greatest ever player, to represent his country will be one of the proudest moments of his career.
"I'll take a lot of pride out of it and I know Raymond will," said Stompe. "Representing your country is the best thing you can do in your life when you play sport.
"For me to be playing with the best ever Dutch darts player is the greatest thing for me and I'm lucky to have known him for something like 20 years.
"We've been travelling on the circuit together for a long time but we're pretty different characters - he's the serious darts player and I'll be the entertainer!
"He puts everything he has into his darts, whereas I like to entertain the crowd and you need that in a team. That's a pretty good mix and I think we'll have a good chance."
The World Cup of Darts will see 24 nations competing for the £40,000 first prize across three days, and Stompe expects a weekend of top class darts.
"Phil Taylor and James Wade are the top two ranked players in the world so people will be fancying their chances to win if for England," added Stompe.
"You've got Simon Whitlock and Paul Nicholson playing for Australia and Gary Anderson and Robert Thornton playing for Scotland and they are three great teams
"But don't discount the Finnish team of Jarkko Komula and Marko Kantele. They're not that well-known in England but when they get on a roll they're very hard to stop.
"A lot of new players and countries have been given a chance in the PDC in the last few years and there are no easy games now, especially in a short format early on.
"Just because Holland are in the top four seeds that doesn't mean we'll make the semi-finals or final because we'll have hard games in the early stages."
Tickets for the Cash Converters World Cup of Darts cost £20 and £25 and can be purchased on 0871 220 0260 or via www.seetickets.com/worldcupofdarts.