Ivan Rakitic Reflects on Career Regret of Declining Ronaldo

Regret Over Missed Opportunity

Hajduk Split’s football director Ivan Rakitic has openly expressed that rejecting Cristiano Ronaldo’s approach remains the most significant regret of his professional journey.

The former midfielder, who previously played for renowned clubs like Barcelona and Sevilla, concluded his playing career last summer and has taken on the role of football director at Hajduk Split.

Memories of a Missed Chance

In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Rakitic shared, “Back in 2019, I received calls from Cristiano Ronaldo, who was interested in having me join him at Juventus.”

He further admitted, “To be truthful, that’s my greatest regret. I would have loved the chance to play in Italy.”

In addition to his extensive experience totaling over 300 appearances for Barcelona and Sevilla, Rakitic also represented the Croatian national team 106 times.