Andy van der Meyde reveals he once kissed Zlatan Ibrahimović - and got punched

Updated: 16 Oct, 2025 • 0 • min read

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Andy van der Meyde reveals he once kissed Zlatan Ibrahimović - and got punched

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Former Everton star Andy van der Meyde has opened up about a bizarre and fiery encounter with Zlatan Ibrahimović during their time together at Ajax Amsterdam, revealing that he once kissed the Swedish striker whilst he was asleep on the team bus.

The Dutch winger, who played for Ajax between 2001 and 2003 before moving to Inter Milan, shared a dressing room with a young Ibrahimović during the early years of the Swede's career.

Speaking on Dutch TV show VTBL in 2021, van der Meyde recalled how a harmless prank quickly turned violent.

I used to sit next to Zlatan on the bus when we were at Ajax.

One time when he was sleeping, I got gay tendencies and I just kissed him on the mouth. Seconds later, I got a few punches thrown at me.

Whilst the anecdote was told light-heartedly, it perfectly summed up Ibrahimović's fiery personality - one that team-mates and opponents alike have experienced over his 22-year career.

'He Threatened to Break Legs'

This isn't the first time van der Meyde has spoken about his complicated relationship with the Swedish superstar.

In a 2019 interview with FourFourTwo, he revealed that Ibrahimović often threatened his teammates during training sessions.

Yes, he did say that, but Zlatan said it to everyone.

Things just weren't working between the two of us at that time.

I'd rather be in a team with people who are honest, like him, even if it means a few arguments. But we generally didn't get along well.

Despite their clashes, both players were part of an exciting Ajax side that produced several future stars, including Rafael van der Vaart, Wesley Sneijder, and Nigel de Jong.

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