Ex-Spurs star Van der Vaart to enter BDO tournament next month after turning to darts

RAFAEL VAN DER VAART is swapping the pitch for the oche - as he takes his first steps into DARTS.

The former Spurs midfielder, 36, will compete in his first British Darts Organisation event next month.

And the ex-Netherlands star will be accompanied by his brother Fernando at the Denmark Open.

The competition is being staged in Esbjerb on May 4 and 5 and will be contested by a field of little-known Scandinavian players.

Van der Vaart's illustrious football career saw him come through the academy at Ajax before two spells with Hamburg either side of his time at Real Madrid and then Tottenham.

He also made 109 appearances for his country - scoring 25 goals - and was a key member of the side that reached the 2010 World Cup final, losing to Spain after extra time.

The Dutchman ended his career at Esbjerb, where his partner Estavana Polman plays for the town's handball team and the couple live with their daughter Jesslynn.

After joining the Danish Superliga side last August, he struggled with injuries and decided to hang up his boots in November.

Although he did appear for the Spurs legends team when they faced Inter Milan as one of the test events for the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Fortunately for the former footballer, the Netherlands have a rich history in darts.

They have NINE men ranked in the Professional Darts Corporations's Top 50, including former world champion Raymond van Barneveld, and two of the top five women.

In January, van der Vaart appeared alongside compatriot and world No1 Michael van Gerwen in a celebrity pro-am in Germany.

The Dutch duo reached the final but ultimately came up short against Max Hopp and actor Jimi Blue Ochsenknecht.

But it may be some time before the two-time Eredivisie winner takes on the likes of van Gerwen, Gary Anderson and Rob Cross, who are all part of the Professional Darts Corporation.