Rakitić’s Dream Midfield Dilemma: Xavi, Iniesta, or Modrić?

Rakitić Names His Dream Midfield Trio

Iván Rakitić, one of the standout midfielders of the 21st century, proved that during his time at Barcelona where he won it all, and shone with the Croatian national team that reached the 2018 World Cup final.

Among his greatest achievements, he had the privilege of playing alongside some of the best midfielders in history: Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta at Barcelona, and Luka Modrić for Croatia.

On the official Instagram account of the UEFA Champions League, the Croatian star was asked to pick among three players—a task that is far from easy.

He was clearly leaning toward Iniesta, praising his skills, while he chose Modrić for his understanding of the game, his mentality, and his ongoing career. “He is still active, and there is more to see,” Rakitić said.

When it came to evaluating Xavi’s playmaking, Rakitić did not hesitate to call him the best passer he has played with, though the most surprising part is his choice of a teammate he would have loved to play with.

“I played with him for only a year, and I wish I had enjoyed it more,” Rakitić said about Xavi.

Final notes aside, the post also invites fans to pause and reflect—Instagram embeds and all—on a midfield legend triangle that would make even a goalkeeper reach for a stapler to hold their jaw in place.

Punchline 1: If these three played chess with the ball, checkmate would be inevitable.

Punchline 2: And me? I’ll just practice my emoji reactions while they craft another perfect pass from the sofa.