Miroslav Klose vs Ivan Rakitić: Stats Compared
Striker, Germany (born 1978, retired 2016) · Central Midfielder, Croatia (born 1988, retired 2023)
Ask any fan to rank Miroslav Klose above or below Ivan Rakitić and you will get a passionate answer. Their textures on the ball are what fans actually remember, and they could hardly be more different. Career output puts Miroslav Klose at 318 goals in 705 games, with Ivan Rakitić at 90 in 700. Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — Miroslav Klose is listed at 0 and Ivan Rakitić at 90 where figures survive. In major honours Miroslav Klose collected 7 — headlined by 1× FIFA World Cup (2014) — whereas Ivan Rakitić amassed 6, led by 1× UEFA Champions League (2015). Miroslav Klose played with a mercurial that made him unmistakable; Ivan Rakitić brought a intelligent that was equally his own. The wider career context matters too: Miroslav Klose peaked around 2014 after representing Kaiserslautern, Werder Bremen, Bayern Munich, Lazio, while Ivan Rakitić's defining level came around 2015 across Basel, Schalke 04, Sevilla, Barcelona, Sevilla, Hajduk Split. Arguments will run and run, which is exactly why the matchup endures.
181 words · comparison angle: style
Player profiles
All-time FIFA World Cup top scorer with 16 goals; Germany's all-time leading goalscorer with 71 international goals.
“A selfless striker and aerial specialist whose consistency made him a World Cup great.”
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 (2014)
- 2× Bundesliga (2008, 2010)
- 3× DFB-Pokal (2005, 2008, 2010)
- 1× Coppa Italia (2013)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (2015)
- 1× UEFA Europa League (2014)
- 4× La Liga (2015, 2016, 2018, 2019)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 2000 Kaiserslautern debut
- 2002 World Cup debut, scored five headed goals
- 2007 Joined Bayern Munich
- 2011 Joined Lazio, won over fans with relentless work rate
- 2014 World Cup winner, became the all-time World Cup top scorer (16 goals)
- 2016 Retired at Lazio
- 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
Weighing production, silverware and profile, the two finish within a whisker of each other. Call it a respectful draw — greatness of this calibre resists a single winner.
Too close to call — a respectful draw
