Former Sevilla and Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic has announced his retirement at the age of 37, after a long and illustrious career, mainly in football. Rakitic had returned to Croatia to end his career with Hajduk split.
When he came to FC Basle through the Academy System, after just two years in the first team he would move to Schalke for € 5 million, where he would become an essential part of Gelsenkirchen. When he signed for Sevilla for € 2.5 million in 2011, he immediately became one of their star players. Rakitic earned a move to Barcelona in 2014 for € 18 million and was part of a historic Treble-winning side under Luis Enrique, and would spend six years in Camp Nou before he returned to Sevilla in 2020. Another 3.5 seasons and a Europa League later, Rakitic and then with Hajduk.
Few can boast on the list of awards that are claimed by the Rakitic medal collection, with a peak with the 2015 Champions League title. With Barcelona, ​​Rakitic won four times La Liga, the Club World Cup, Four Copas del Rey, two Spanish supercups, while he led Sevilla to two Europa League titles nine years apart. His last two destinations lift the German cup and the Swiss cup and are the only clubs that he won nothing, with a total trophy of 17.
In addition to Luka Modric, Rakitic was the image of a resilient Croatian Golden Generation, which achieved the 2018 World Cup final. He scored 15 goals in his 106 performances, making him the most claimed player in Croatian history. In 2015 he would also win the Croatian player of the year.
At Sevilla, Rakitic is considered one of the best players in the history of the club, in his first enchantment captain and a vice-captain becomes in his second. Earlier on his career he would play behind the attacker, with jazz -like timing and excellent control to open defenses.
When he arrived in Barcelona, ​​he pulled the unlikely performance of replacing Xavi Hernandez quite seamlessly. Rakitic was essential for Barcelona in the first four years of his career in Barcelona, ​​an excellent right side behind Lionel Messi in balance and a steel lead in a midfield with Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta.
In total he made 887 club performances and finished only seven shy of 1,000 including his Croatia performances. Rakitic played a number of different roles, but still managed 125 goals and 141 assists from the entire field – a charateristics of his playing style.