Ivan Rakitić vs David Luiz: Stats Compared
Central Midfielder, Croatia (born 1988, retired 2023) · Centre-Back, Brazil (born 1987, retired 2023)
When Ivan Rakitić and David Luiz are mentioned in the same breath, opinions rarely stay quiet. Beyond the numbers, each man brought a singular aesthetic to the pitch. By the end Ivan Rakitić had 90 goals from 700 caps and club outings; David Luiz had 35 from 650. Creativity tells a story too: 90 assists for Ivan Rakitić against 25 for David Luiz. In major honours Ivan Rakitić collected 6 — headlined by 1× UEFA Champions League (2015) — whereas David Luiz amassed 6, led by 1× UEFA Champions League (2012). Ivan Rakitić played with a incisive that made him unmistakable; David Luiz brought a anticipatory that was equally his own. Their routes to the top were distinct: Ivan Rakitić built his reputation across Basel, Schalke 04, Sevilla, Barcelona, Sevilla, Hajduk Split, peaking around 2015, while David Luiz reached his defining level around 2013 after spells with Vitória, Benfica, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Arsenal, Flamengo. Few pairings invite such entrenched disagreement, and fewer still deserve it this much.
168 words · comparison angle: style
Player profiles
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.”
An eccentric, unpredictable Brazilian centre-back famed for his wild hairstyles and thunderous free-kicks, David Luiz won trophies across three major European leagues.
“An unorthodox, high-risk centre-back who combined bold attacking instincts and a huge shot with occasionally erratic positioning.”
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× UEFA Champions League (2015)
- 1× UEFA Europa League (2014)
- 4× La Liga (2015, 2016, 2018, 2019)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (2012)
- 2× UEFA Europa League (2013, 2019)
- 2× Premier League (2015, 2017)
- 1× FA Cup (2018)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 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.
- 2006 Professional debut for Vitória
- 2012 Won UEFA Champions League with Chelsea
- 2018 Won FA Cup with Chelsea
- 2013 Reached the peak of his powers at Chelsea
- 2023 Retired after a final spell at Flamengo
- Finished his career with 35 goals in 650 appearances and 6 major honours. Finished his career with 35 goals in 650 appearances and 6 major honours.
The verdict
Weighing production against honours, Ivan Rakitić takes the verdict — a narrow margin, driven by a sharper goalscoring record.
Ivan Rakitić edges it (a narrow margin)
