The fans at his former club were angry to see him kissing the badge of his new club so soon but this wasn’t the case for his former team mates. “He was not here for 10 years and so I think it’s something normal,” said Ivan Cordoba.

At the end of his first season at the club, having scored 21 goals in 43 games, he decided he wanted to leave. He has since reflected on the conversation he had with Barcelona president, Sandro Rosell, where he revealed which club he wanted to leave Barca for.

“The president said: ‘I understand the situation. Which club do you want to join?’ I replied: ‘Madrid.’ Rosell replied: ‘That is not possible. You can go anywhere but there.'”

Ibrahimovic joined AC Milan on loan that summer and this move became permanent. In an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, the striker reflected on his badge kissing.

“The kiss… they almost forced me to do it,” he said. “They all said: ‘Kiss it, kiss it.’ Normally I do what I want to do, but I was so moved at having joined such a great club, at being in such a great stadium, that I did what everyone said.”