Stars of 2015: Ivan Rakitic

Ivan Rakitic is part of a trio of Croatian playmakers that have adapted their game to tactical trends in Europe. Niko Kranjcar, the oldest of the trio, transitioned into a creative wide midfielder with an eye for goal. Luka Modric, the most talented, honed his craft at Tottenham Hotspurs to emerge as a complete central midfielder who did everything – set the tempo, harry in midfield and orchestrate transitions. Rakitic’s evolution has been more recent. After four years at Sevilla where he made his name as a playmaker (whether at AM or DM), he belatedly made his big-club move, signing for Barcelona in the summer of 2014.

At Barcelona, where he was ostensibly signed as a replacement for the ageing Xavi, Rakitic made his transformation. Perhaps realising he could not directly replace the most technical midfielder of a generation and, adapting to Luis Enrique’s more linear version of tiki taka, Rakitic made his game a lot more direct. In effect, he became a box-to-box midfielder with the footballing intelligence of a playmaker. The effect was startling, as Rakitic quickly became a key cog in Enrique’s team. His omission for the first El Clasico of the season, in lieu of Xavi, was cited as one of the main reasons Barcelona were overwhelmed by Madrid’s quick breaks.

At the turn of 2015, just when Barcelona recovered from a controversial defeat to Real Sociedad, Enrique backed his midfield dynamo and was handsomely rewarded. He brought goals, thrust and tenacity to Barcelona, meaning they were less predictable than in previous years. They were also up for a fight. He shone in the Champions League – scoring against Manchester City, and scoring the opener in the final against Juventus. In that game, he looked the most superior midfielder on the pitch, a remarkable achievement given the players that lined up for both teams. Rakitic has slowed down in 2015/2016 as he has had to adapt his role to compensate for the creative void caused by injuries to Messi, Iniesita and Rafinha. But his performances over the calendar year have been nothing short of spectacular.

Rakitic’s appearance as the only non-attacker on this list should be come as no surprise. In recent years, two types of midfielders have particularly thrived – the technically gifted passer (e.g. Santi Carzola) and the energetic all-rounder (E.g. Blaise Matuidi). In 2015, Rakitic perfectly combined both roles, taking his game to an unprecedented level and cementing his place as one of the stars of the year.

• This profile was designed to be part of Culture Custodian’s Top 10 Players of 2015 feature.