18 Quotes by Ivan Rakitic

Friends sometimes ask me, 'When you get the ball what are you thinking?' But you do not have time to think. You have to do it. It's not instinct; that's not the right word, but it's how you feel in this moment. You sense it. It's trained, but it's trained inside you. It makes you faster in the moment.

When you put the sacred Croatia shirt on, you become another person. We have this togetherness, this unique unity - not just in football. We are exceptional in tennis, handball, basketball, water polo. If we were to hold a tournament in ping pong, all of us would be rooting for that single player.

I think this is the special character of the people from Seville. They have a really open spirit and receive everyone like family.

Sevilla are so important in my life: I met my wife there, our daughter was born there, we have a home there, and we'll go back.

I have a lot of respect for the British people and the passion which they have for football, the full stadiums.

I love football. A lot. It's never a moment to say that I'm bored. There is a lot of repetition in football, in training and travel, but I still love it.

I would never describe football as a job because it doesn't feel like a job.

Every player is different, but I try to treat everyone the same. On a day-to-day basis, I come across other footballers and club staff, and I try to treat all the same, from the security guard to Lionel Messi.

My father is Croatian but went to school in Bosnia, and my mother's also Croatian but lived in Bosnia.