Rakitic retires

Ivan Rakitic - the talented former midfielder of Barcelona and the Croatian national team - officially announced his retirement at the age of 37, ending a glorious journey of more than 15 years on the field.

Rakitic used to be a famous midfielder of Croatian football.

Rakitic’s last home game was on May 18, when he helped Hajduk Split win 2-1 against Rijeka in the 35th round of the Croatian Premier League. Despite having to leave the field in the final minutes due to injury, the former Barcelona star still managed to contribute an important assist, ending his career with an emotional performance.

Born in Möhlin (Switzerland), Rakitic has left a deep mark at many top European clubs such as Basel, Schalke 04, Sevilla, Barcelona and Al-Shabab. With the Croatian team, he has 106 caps and is one of the important pillars.

The talented midfielder's career has been highlighted by 17 prestigious titles, most notably 12 trophies with Barcelona, including the 2014/15 Champions League, four La Liga titles, multiple Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup wins. At Sevilla, he also played an important role in helping the team win two Europa Leagues.

With 438 matches in La Liga, Rakitic is among the foreign players with the most matches in the history of the tournament, behind only big names like Messi, Griezmann and Benzema.

Rakitic's final journey was an attempt to help Hajduk Split - his hometown team in Croatia - end a 20-year title drought. Although he was unable to fully achieve this dream, his fighting spirit still inspired his younger teammates.

Rakitic's tearful farewell at the stadium closed a memorable chapter of world football, leaving many fans with regrets for the talent and dedication of one of the best midfielders of the past decade.

Source: https://znews.vn/rakitic-giai-nghe-post1554289.html