By Marko Barišić: Ivan Rakitić’s emotional moment at Poljud has sparked widespread speculation—was it a farewell to Hajduk, or football itself? Discover the real reason behind the Croatian star’s tears, his future in Split, and what’s next for the former Barcelona and Sevilla midfielder as he nears retirement.
Hajduk defeats Rijeka
After Sunday’s football match at Poljud, where Hajduk defeated Rijeka 2-1 and maintained at least a theoretical chance of winning the Croatian championship title, the players of the Split club went to celebrate the victory with their fans in front of the stands.
But Ivan Rakitić, the legendary Vatreni who left the biggest mark playing for Barcelona and Sevilla, and who joined Hajduk this year, did not join the celebrations. He went to the bench, sat down – and cried. For days, Croatian media have been speculating about what really happened.
Dismissing initial theories about personal problems
First, rumours that Rakitić cried due to private problems were dismissed. That was not the reason. Then came speculation that his tears stemmed from the fact that even though Hajduk had beaten Rijeka, they likely would not win the title in the end.
Reports say that wasn’t the case either. Some suggested he was emotional because he might be transferring to another club at the end of the season, and that this was his farewell to Poljud, as the last game will be in Šibenik.
The real reason: saying goodbye to football
Now, the latest reports from sources close to the famous Croatian footballer suggest that Rakitić was crying because he is actually saying goodbye to football altogether – he will be hanging up his boots.
They say he will soon officially announce his retirement, and due to injury, he may not even play in Šibenik. That means the match at Poljud could well have been his final appearance. However, he will not be leaving football, or Split – where he has purchased a house. He plans to spend most of the year there, as his family has grown fond of life in Croatia.
Future role in Hajduk?
As for football, he is reportedly considering joining a group of former players who may take on leadership roles at Hajduk. Rakitić would take on an advisory role – serving as a link between Hajduk and other clubs. He would be in familiar company.
Slaven Bilić, the former Croatian national team coach, and Goran Vučević, former Barcelona player and Hajduk coach, have also been mentioned in this context. It remains to be seen how this will unfold. Rakitić also intends to further his education. He wants to complete the UEFA Business Management programme to obtain all the necessary licences and qualifications for working in football.
Fluent in four languages, loyal to Croatia
Ivan speaks four languages fluently. He was born in Switzerland. Even today, the Swiss haven’t forgiven him for choosing to represent the Croatian national team instead of theirs – with whom he went on to play in the 2018 World Cup final in Russia.
At the time of his decision, there was significant pressure for him to reconsider, but Rakitić stood firm. For years, he and Luka Modrić were the backbone of Croatia’s midfield. He once shared the excitement he and his brother felt when their father gave them Croatian jerseys from a care package from the homeland.
“We slept in those jerseys. We wore them to school the next day. And the day after. We didn’t want to take them off. Wow, we have Croatian red-and-white jerseys without names on the back. We wanted ten of them because we didn’t want to wear anything else. They were so special to us,” Rakitić said.
The tears at Poljud clearly mark the approaching end of a great footballing career.
