Former Croatia international Ivan Rakitic, who enjoyed a distinguished career with Barcelona and Sevilla, announced his retirement from professional football on Monday, July 7, 2025, at the age of 37.
In an emotional letter shared on social media, Rakitic reflected on his journey: “Football, you gave me more than I ever dreamed of. You gave me friends, emotions, joy and tears. 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.”
Rakitic began his career at Basel before moving to Schalke and later starred at Sevilla and Barcelona. He earned 106 caps for Croatia, starting in their 2018 World Cup final loss to France. A key part of Barcelona’s 2015 treble-winning side, he also won the Europa League twice with Sevilla.
After a brief stint with Saudi club Al Shabab in 2024, Rakitic concluded his career with a final season at Hajduk Split.
Source: African Publicity
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