Khvicha Kvaratskhelia had an unforgettable night, leading Georgia to the knockout stages of Euro 2024 and fulfilling his childhood dream by playing against Cristiano Ronaldo.
As the lowest-ranked team in the tournament, few believed Georgia could progress from the group stages in their debut appearance. Defying all expectations, the Crusaders secured a 2-0 victory over Portugal with a second-minute goal from Kvaratskhelia and a second-half penalty by Georges Mikautadze. The victory sparked wild celebrations on the pitch and in the stands, with fireworks lighting up the sky in Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi, and fans pouring into the streets to celebrate.
“This is the best day in the lives of Georgians,” Kvaratskhelia said. “We made history. Nobody believed we could beat Portugal, but that’s why we are a strong team.”
Georgia’s assistant manager, David Webb, described the atmosphere after the match as “immense” and praised the players for executing the game plan perfectly. Webb, known for his motivational skills, had delivered a pre-tournament speech encouraging self-belief, drawing inspiration from smaller nations like Wales and Iceland that had excelled in previous European Championships.
Videos on social media showed the team’s excitement in the locker room, with Kvaratskhelia proudly wearing Ronaldo’s shirt. Despite Ronaldo’s frustration during the match, he graciously gave his shirt to an emotional Kvaratskhelia after the game. A 2013 photo of a young Kvaratskhelia with Ronaldo during a visit to Tbilisi circulated online, which Kvaratskhelia later shared on Instagram.
Kvaratskhelia expressed his gratitude for Ronaldo’s encouragement before the match, saying it gave him the incentive to perform well. He also posted a photo of Ronaldo’s shirt alongside his Man of the Match award on Instagram, captioning it “Dreams.”
Despite helping Napoli win the Serie A title in 2023, Kvaratskhelia called the victory over Portugal and advancing with his country the biggest achievement of his career. “This is the best day of my life because it was harder to do it with the Georgian team than with Napoli,” he said, emphasizing the importance of teamwork.
Georgia will face Spain in the last 16 on Sunday, and Webb remains optimistic. “We’ve made history, and we’ll go into the Spain game with no fear, lots of belief, and confidence. We’ll give it our best and see where we go.”
Georgia’s incredible journey continues as they aim to go even deeper in the tournament.
