Alan Shearer vs Ivan Rakitić: Stats Compared
Striker, England (born 1970, retired 2006) · Central Midfielder, Croatia (born 1988, retired 2023)
When Alan Shearer and Ivan Rakitić are mentioned in the same breath, opinions rarely stay quiet. Honours are what separate great players from trophy-laden legends, and both qualify. Alan Shearer finishes with 409 career goals from 733 games — a 0.56 strike rate — against Ivan Rakitić's 90 from 700 at 0.13 per match. Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — Alan Shearer is listed at 0 and Ivan Rakitić at 90 where figures survive. In major honours Alan Shearer collected 9 — headlined by 1× Premier League (1995) — whereas Ivan Rakitić amassed 6, led by 1× UEFA Champions League (2015). Alan Shearer built his medal haul through years of predatory consistency, while Ivan Rakitić won his with incisive bursts of brilliance. Context beyond the headline totals is important: Alan Shearer's landmark level arrived around 1995 with a career spanning Southampton, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United; Ivan Rakitić's came around 2015 across Basel, Schalke 04, Sevilla, Barcelona, Sevilla, Hajduk Split. Whichever side you land on, both belong in any conversation about the finest of their generation.
186 words · comparison angle: trophies
Player profiles
Alan Shearer (born 13 August 1970) is an English football pundit and former professional player who played as a striker. Widely regarded as one of the greatest strikers of all time and one of the greatest players in Premier League history, he is the league's record goalscorer with 260 goals. He was named Football Writers' Association Player of the Year in 1994 and won the PFA Player of the Year award in 1995.
“A record-breaking number nine who combined brutal finishing with clever hold-up play.”
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× Premier League (1995)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (2015)
- 1× UEFA Europa League (2014)
- 4× La Liga (2015, 2016, 2018, 2019)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1987 Established himself at Southampton
- 1991 Reached his defining peak
- 1995 Delivered a landmark season
- 2006 Retired from professional football
- 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
The numbers give Alan Shearer the lead — a clear margin, courtesy of a sharper goalscoring record.
Alan Shearer edges it (a clear margin)
