6. Zlatan Ibrahimovic And Rafael Van der Vaart
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZauTLXYOJA It's fair to say that Zlatan Ibrahimovic isn't the most passive character in the world. While he paints former Ajax colleague Rafael van der Vaart as the initiator of their bitter conflict following an international friendly ten years ago, Zlatan's track record for courting controversy would hint otherwise. Out to avenge their Euro 2004 exit at the hands of the Dutch, the Swedes approached the 'friendly' with extra vigour, before the hot-headed talisman tussled for the ball, catching his Ajax team-mate and tearing his ankle ligament in the process.
''He claimed in the papers that I'd injured him on purpose. There wasn't even a free-kick awarded! That guy was supposed to be my team captain! I phoned Van der Vaart: 'Listen up, I'm sorry, it's a shame about your inury, but it wasn't intentional. You got that?' He didn't back down a milimetre.'' - Zlatan Ibrahimovic, September 2013.
Indeed, the atmosphere remained heated upon their return to the Ajax camp, with boss Ronald Koeman intent on ironing out the brewing tensions.
'''Zlatan did it on purpose,' said Van der Vaart, and I saw red. 'I didn't injure you on purpose, and you know that. If you accuse me again I'll break both your legs, and that time it will be on purpose,' I said.'' - Zlatan Ibrahimovic, September 2013.
Their relationship never did recover, with the Dutchman maintaining Zlatan's intention was to injure him. It's just something that only Zlatan knows, but after courting conflicts with team-mates Mido and Oguchi Onyewu to name but a few, perhaps it's not such an alien concept to side with the former Ajax captain?