Immediately, when fans think of FC Barcelona, and Croatia fans think of Ivan Rakitić or the one Croatian player on the roster, Dominik Livaković. Croatian fans may say there is one more player, Dani Olmo, on the roster, since he could play for the Croatian national team as well, but that’s a story for another day. However, the Croatian roots are definitely strong and may be getting even stronger in the Catalan capital.
Bild recently reported that 15-year-old Niko Iličević has attracted interest from Barcelona, Bayern, Real Madrid, and Chelsea. Something that fans and many are calling very believable, with Deco and crew appearing focused on the future, given recent news and contract renewals.
Iličević - Sounds Familiar
Fans of international football may recognize the last name, as Niko is the nephew of former Croatian national team player Ivo Iličević, who also played for Hamburger SV, Kaiserslautern, and Nuremberg, among others. He wasn’t a mainstream name, but unlike his uncle, Niko has burst onto the scene at a young age. Niko Iličević joined Eintracht Frankfurt at the age of nine after beginning his football journey with amateur club Goldbach.
The left-footed attacking midfielder quickly began playing above his age group, and during the 2024/25 season he featured for Frankfurt’s U17 side despite being only 14. In 16 appearances in the U17 DFB Youth League, Iličević recorded three goals, while also making an impact after moving up from the U15s. His rapid development also saw him involved with Eintracht’s senior side during the 2024/25 campaign.
At 14, Iličević appeared in several first-team friendlies and scored twice, including in a 7-1 victory over SC Weimar. Iličević scored against Barcelona. December 2025 at the Johan Cruyff Arena. Just imagine it. That whole season felt like a real step up from everything before. He had joined Frankfurt's U19s and they threw him straight into the UEFA Youth League, where you face those academy sides that pretty much run like pro clubs.
2025-26 Jump
Seven games across the 2025 26 run. One goal and one assist in 467 minutes. Not loads of time on the pitch, but enough to leave a mark here and there. The thing is, the German youth teams noticed quickly. U15s then U16s. The federation puts him at eight appearances with three goals. From what I've seen, that kind of return gets attention fast. And back at club level, he added three goals plus a couple of assists in the DFB under 19. The interesting part is how it all lined up so soon after his earlier progress.
I mean, scoring on that stage as a teenager must feel incredible. Turns out he kept delivering, and now clubs are noticing; perhaps Barcelona could reward him for his mature play to date and pair him with another young talent, Dany Freire, to build the club’s future midfield. However, let's hope this doesn’t turn into an Alen Halilović situation, as many fans still remember that young Croatian who was supposed to fill so many legendary shoes and flopped.
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