The pair played 13 times together for their country, with both men competing for spots on the flanks.
Babel has taken potshots at Afellay
Former Barcelona winger Ibrahim Afellay has expressed his surprise at being dissed on a rap track by former Netherlands international team-mate Ryan Babel. The pair played 13 times together for their country, with both men competing for spots on the flanks. Babel is still playing at 34 years of age, as he remains on the books at Turkish outfit Galatasaray, while Afellay – who is a year older – hung up his boots in January after last turning out for PSV. While Babel remains part of the Netherlands set-up, he continues to dabble in the music scene as well. Within that world, the ex-Liverpool and Ajax winger has taken potshots at Afellay and his new role as a pundit. Babel says: “Bro, I don’t know you from Barca, maybe more from PSV. Oh, now you’re an analyst? Hmm, so so.”
Ibrahim only knows Ryan through the Dutch national team
“Heard in the corridors, you’re broke, bro. You call things and don’t think about them anymore, bro code. But I understand if your career comes to a dead end.” Afellay, who took in 35 appearances for Barca between 2010 and 2015, is stunned to have been targeted by a one-time colleague. He is at a loss to explain why Babel would want to call him out, telling NOS when asked for his reaction to the song ‘Open Letter’: “I’m honestly surprised by it. “I’ve only known him through the Dutch national team, and he was always nice there. I don’t have anything bad to say about him, really.” Afellay, who also spent time in England with Stoke, was forced to call time on his career after suffering a number of serious knee injuries.
Meanwhile, Babel spent three-and-half years on the books at Liverpool, is into the final 12 months of his contract in Turkey and is due to drop into the free-agent pool next summer.