On one hand, there’s international teammate Luka Modric, who won the Golden Ball for best player at the World Cup, added UEFA’s Best Men’s Player award, and is on the three-man list of finalists for FIFA’s award.
On the other, there’s Lionel Messi, who was shockingly left out of the three-man shortlists for both the UEFA and FIFA awards despite another stunning season for his club.
Rakitic has found a diplomatic answer to any Messi v Modric questions, however.
“Messi is the best player in the world and in the history of the game,” the midfielder said ahead of Croatia’s loss to Spain on Wednesday. “[But this year] Luka deserves everything,”
“Everyone in Croatia is delighted for him, because it’s a prize for the whole country,” Rakitic added of Modric’s winning the UEFA award.
“It would surprise me if he didn’t win any more awards.”