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Former Barcelona and Croatia midfielder Ivan Rakitić has officially retired from professional football at the age of 37, drawing the curtain on a two-decade career that took him from FC Basel’s academy to the pinnacle of European football.
The announcement came via a video on Instagram, where Rakitić described football as “the greatest gift of my life” and thanked every club he had represented.
The Swiss-born Croatian began his senior career at FC Basel in 2005 before moving to Schalke 04 in Germany. His breakthrough came at Sevilla, where he captained the side to the 2014 Europa League title – adding another on his return in 2023. Across both stints, he played 323 matches, scoring 53 goals and providing 63 assists.
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Rakitić’s prime came during his six seasons at Barcelona (2014–2020), where he made 310 appearances and won 13 trophies – including four La Liga titles, four Copa del Reys, and the 2015 Champions League, where he scored the opener in the final against Juventus.
Internationally, he earned 106 caps for Croatia and was instrumental in their run to the 2018 World Cup final, scoring decisive penalties in the Round of 16 against Denmark and the quarter-final against Russia.
Short spells at Al-Shabab and his boyhood club Hajduk Split brought his career full circle. “From Switzerland to Spain, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and home again – every step shaped me,” he said. “Football, you gave me more than I could ever imagine. You gave me victories, defeats, lessons, and friends for life. My love for football will never fade. Thank you, football.”
