Croatian midfielder Ivan Rakitic announced his retirement from professional football on Monday, ending a 19-year career that spanned six clubs and brought him to the sport’s highest stages. In a video message published on social media, the 37-year-old said, “Football, you gave me more than I ever dreamed,” as he confirmed the decision. Rakitic leaves the game with more than a dozen major trophies, including the 2015 UEFA Champions League with FC Barcelona, two UEFA Europa Leagues with Sevilla in 2014 and 2023, and four La Liga titles. Across club competitions he played 887 official matches, scored 125 goals and provided 141 assists, according to figures released by Spanish media. For Croatia, Rakitic earned 106 caps and was a central figure in the team that finished runner-up to France at the 2018 World Cup. After short stints at Saudi Arabia’s Al-Shabab and Croatia’s HNK Hajduk Split, he concluded his playing days with the Split side and is expected to move into a front-office role at the club.