July 06, 2025: Former Croatia international Ivan Rakitic, famed for his memorable spells at Sevilla and Barcelona, officially announced his retirement from professional football on Monday at the age of 37.
Sharing a heartfelt message on social media, Rakitic reflected on his journey: “Now it’s time to say goodbye. Because even if I walk away from you, I know you’ll never walk away from me. Thank you, football. For everything.”
His former clubs were quick to pay tribute. Sevilla, where Rakitic made 323 appearances with 53 goals and 63 assists, shared a compilation of his finest moments at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium. Rakitic was instrumental in the club’s two UEFA Europa League titles.
Barcelona also honoured the midfielder, posting a photo of him surrounded by trophies he won during his six-year stay. “Football will miss you, Ivan. We wish you all the best in this new chapter of your life,” read the club’s tribute.
Rakitic’s career began at FC Basel before he moved to Schalke in Germany, but his greatest successes came in Spain. With Barcelona, he won 16 trophies, including the 2015 UEFA Champions League, where he scored in the final against Juventus. Rakitic featured in 310 matches for Barça, scoring 36 goals.
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On the international stage, he earned 106 caps for Croatia and was a key figure in their run to the 2018 FIFA World Cup final, where they finished runners-up to France.
Rakitic wrapped up his illustrious career with brief spells at Saudi Arabia’s Al Shabab and Croatia’s Hajduk Split, closing the chapter on one of modern football’s most consistent and successful midfielders.