Gennaro Gattuso vs Ivan Rakitić: Stats Compared
Defensive Midfielder, Italy (born 1978, retired 2013) · Central Midfielder, Croatia (born 1988, retired 2023)
Gennaro Gattuso against Ivan Rakitić is the kind of comparison that fuels pub arguments for hours. Both built reputations on finding the back of the net, but they did it in markedly different ways. By the end Gennaro Gattuso had 25 goals from 550 caps and club outings; Ivan Rakitić had 90 from 700. In chance creation, Gennaro Gattuso tallied 20 assists to Ivan Rakitić's 90. Trophy counts give Gennaro Gattuso 5 and Ivan Rakitić 6, with 1× FIFA World Cup (2006) and 1× UEFA Champions League (2015) the standout honours respectively. Gennaro Gattuso scored with a dictatorial that defined his era, while Ivan Rakitić's finishing carried a silky all of its own. Club journeys add another layer, with Gennaro Gattuso reaching his representative peak around 2007 across Perugia, Rangers, AC Milan, Sion and Ivan Rakitić doing so around 2015 with Basel, Schalke 04, Sevilla, Barcelona, Sevilla, Hajduk Split. Rank them how you like — both names are carved into the sport's permanent record.
164 words · comparison angle: goalscoring
Player profiles
A snarling, relentless ball-winner nicknamed 'Ringhio' (Growl), Gattuso was the combative heartbeat of AC Milan's midfield through two Champions League triumphs.
“An abrasive, high-energy defensive midfielder whose non-stop tackling and pressing shielded his more gifted teammates.”
A key architect of Barcelona's 2015 treble and Croatia's run to the 2018 World Cup final, Rakitić combined tireless work rate with excellent passing range.
“A tireless, technically composed box-to-box midfielder whose range of passing linked defence and attack seamlessly.”
Head-to-head stats
Career goals by season
Representative career seasons — goals per season for each player across their documented clubs.
Attribute radar
Attribute ratings are peak-era, 0–100. Different positions naturally skew the profile.
Attribute comparison
Trophy breakdown
- 1× FIFA World Cup (2006)
- 2× UEFA Champions League (2003, 2007)
- 2× Serie A (2004, 2011)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (2015)
- 1× UEFA Europa League (2014)
- 4× La Liga (2015, 2016, 2018, 2019)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1995 Professional debut for Perugia
- 2006 Won FIFA World Cup with AC Milan
- 2004 Won Serie A with AC Milan
- 2007 Reached the peak of his powers at AC Milan
- 2013 Retired after a final spell at Sion
- Finished his career with 25 goals in 550 appearances and 5 major honours. Finished his career with 25 goals in 550 appearances and 5 major honours.
- 2005 Professional debut for Basel
- 2015 Won UEFA Champions League with Barcelona
- 2015 Won La Liga with Barcelona
- 2015 Reached the peak of his powers at Barcelona
- 2023 Retired after a final spell at Hajduk Split
- Finished his career with 90 goals in 700 appearances and 6 major honours. Finished his career with 90 goals in 700 appearances and 6 major honours.
The verdict
Taking goals, assists, silverware and overall profile together, Ivan Rakitić takes it by a clear margin.
Ivan Rakitić edges it (a clear margin)
