There aren’t many players who would smooch a sleeping Zlatan Ibrahimovic now, but Andy van der Meyde wasn’t too afraid to prank the big Swede back in his Ajax days.

The pair were team-mates from 2001 to 2003 at the Dutch club, where ‘Ibra’ began building his reputation as one of the greatest strikers of his generation.

Both in their early twenties at the time, Van der Meyde and Ibrahimovic were big egos amongst a fiery dressing room which featured huge prospects like Rafael van der Vaart, and they were known to butt heads.

‘When we were at Ajax, I always sat next to Zlatan on the bus,’ told Dutch TV show VTBL.

‘Once when he was sleeping I got gay tendencies and just kissed him on the mouth. Seconds later, I got a couple of slaps.’ says Andy van der Meyde.

Zlatan went on to build a legendary career, still racking-up the goals for AC Milan at 39, Van der Meyde’s went down another path.

The Dutch winger’s 11 goals and 14 assists in the 2002-03 Eredivisie season caught the eye of Europe’s big clubs, with Inter Milan securing his signature.

Meanwhile Andy van der Meyde left for Italy, followed by a £2m move to Everton in 2005 that prompted his life and career to spiral.

Van der Meyde admitted that cheating on his wife was his big mistake after moving to Merseyside, before turning to cocaine and alcohol as his relationship with David Moyes crumbled along with his game-time.

He made just 23 appearances for the Toffees, leaving in 2009 before retiring three years later. Now 41, the Dutchman won’t be seen around Goodison Park any time soon.

When Aston Villa’s Anwar El Ghazi was linked with his former club back in 2019, Van der Meyde advised: ‘Don’t do it. What a s*** club. Don’t do it! There you go broke. Just look at me.’