Ivan Rakitić

Ivan Rakitić, born on March tenth, nineteen eighty-eight, is a distinguished former professional footballer who made his mark as a midfielder. Currently, he serves as the technical director of Hajduk Split, the club where he concluded his illustrious playing career.

Rakitić began his professional journey at Basel, where he spent two seasons before moving to Schalke 04. His tenure in the Bundesliga lasted three and a half seasons, after which he joined Sevilla in January twenty eleven. In just two years, he ascended to the role of club captain, leading the team to a remarkable UEFA Europa League victory.

In June twenty fourteen, Rakitić transferred to Barcelona, where he enjoyed a stellar first season, clinching the treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey, and UEFA Champions League. Notably, he scored the opening goal in the twenty fifteen Champions League final, becoming the first player to win both the Champions League and Europa League in consecutive years with different clubs. After making three hundred and ten appearances and securing ten additional trophies with Barcelona, he returned to Sevilla in twenty twenty, where he celebrated another Europa League triumph in the twenty twenty-three final.

Born in Switzerland to Croatian parents from Yugoslavia, Rakitić initially represented Switzerland at youth levels but chose to play for Croatia at the senior level. He debuted for the Croatian national team in two thousand seven and participated in multiple major tournaments, including UEFA Euro twenty eight, twenty twelve, and twenty sixteen, as well as the FIFA World Cups in two thousand fourteen and twenty eighteen, reaching the final in the latter. He retired from international football in September twenty twenty, having earned one hundred and six caps, making him one of Croatia's most capped players and a revered figure in the nation's football history.