Ivan Rakitic Croatian footballer, midfielder Date of Birth: 10.03.1988 Country: Croatia

1. Early Life and Career at Basel
2. Transition to Schalke 04
3. Success with Sevilla
4. Captaincy and European Trophy at Sevilla
5. Triumph with Barcelona
6. International Career

Early Life and Career at Basel

Ivan Rakitić began his football journey at Möhlin-Riburg before joining Basel's youth academy in 2002. After three years, he made his debut for the senior team on August 29, 2005, in a UEFA Cup match against Bosnian side Široki Brijeg.

Rakitić became a regular starter in 2006/07, scoring 11 goals in 33 appearances, second only to Mladen Petrić in the team. He was named Switzerland's Young Player of the Year for his performance that season.

Transition to Schalke 04

On June 22, 2007, Rakitić signed a four-year deal with Schalke 04 for a fee of €5 million. He was brought in as a replacement for Lincoln, who had joined Galatasaray.

Rakitić made his Bundesliga debut on August 10 in a 2:2 draw with Stuttgart, scoring a goal just five minutes after coming on as a substitute. He also scored against Bayern Munich (1:1) and helped Schalke reach the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in club history.

Success with Sevilla

On January 28, 2011, Rakitić joined Spanish club Sevilla on a 4.5-year contract for €2.5 million. He proved to be an integral player in his debut season, playing 13 times and scoring five goals.

In the 2011/2012 season, Rakitić continued to be a key contributor, often being deployed as a defensive midfielder. He made 39 appearances, scoring one goal and providing six assists.

The 2012/2013 season saw Rakitić begin with an assist in the opening match against Getafe. He also assisted in a victory over Real Madrid and scored his first goal of the season against Deportivo. In the Seville derby against Betis, he scored two goals in the opening 20 minutes.

Captaincy and European Trophy at Sevilla

Ahead of the 2013/2014 season, Rakitić was named captain of Sevilla by coach Unai Emery. He scored twice against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu (7:3), with his second goal particularly impressive.

In January, Rakitić was named La Liga's Player of the Month. In the Europa League, he helped Sevilla reach the final, where they defeated Benfica on penalties. Rakitić was named Man of the Match by UEFA.

He was included in the La Liga and Europa League Team of the Year and won the Fairplay Award. Rakitić was also nominated for La Liga's Best Midfielder but lost to Andrés Iniesta.

Triumph with Barcelona

On June 16, 2014, Rakitić signed a five-year contract with Barcelona for €18 million, with a potential €3 million increase based on his performance. He took the number 4 shirt, previously worn by Cesc Fàbregas.

Rakitić made his official debut in the opening match of La Liga on August 24 against Elche. He scored his first goal on September 21, netting against Levante from outside the box.

On March 18, 2015, Rakitić scored his first goal in the UEFA Champions League, giving Barcelona a 1:0 win against Manchester City in the Round of 16. He also scored in the Champions League final against Juventus, helping Barcelona to a 3:1 victory and a historic treble of league, cup, and European titles.

Rakitić continued to impress in his second season, earning a place in the La Liga and European Team of the Year once again.

International Career

Despite playing for Switzerland's youth teams, Rakitić opted to represent Croatia at the senior level. He made his debut on September 8, 2007, in a Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia. He scored his first international goal in his second appearance against Andorra.