Georgia’s two-goal victory over Portugal on Wednesday concluded the European Championship group stage and provided its greatest story. Georgia, 68 places below their opponents in FIFA’s world rankings, secured a place in the knockout rounds with their first victory in a major tournament.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Georgia’s star player and opening goalscorer in the match, said in the aftermath of the victory that it was “the best day of my life”. In 2023, the 23-year-old starred in Napoli’s first Italian league title in 33 years but for every Georgian, the history and significance of their national team’s achievement was unsurpassable.
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That it came amid political uncertainty and increasing division at home gave added significance to the squad’s achievement. Georgia is at a crossroads over democratic values, political freedoms and geopolitical identity.
The symbolism of excelling on a sporting European stage became intertwined with the nation’s ambitions to join the European Union, amid growing concerns over Russian influence. Those suspicions peaked this year when Georgian Dream, the nation’s ruling political party, introduced a law on “foreign influence”, which drew criticism for mirroring a repressive Russian law.
The legislation ensures all media and non-governmental organisations who receive 20 per cent or more of their funding from abroad must register as “organisations acting in the interest of a foreign power” and submit themselves to rigorous audits, or be fined. Georgia’s president Salome Zourabichvili described this law, which she attempted to veto but was overturned by parliament, as “a Russian strategy of destabilisation”. The United States has said travel restrictions will be imposed on those who “undermine democracy” in Georgia.
Georgian Dream positions itself as a pro-EU party, but the EU said it “deeply regretted” the decision of the Georgian government to introduce that new law.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov denied Russian involvement in the legislation, saying this was “normal practice” for a government that wished to “protect themselves from outside influence”. He added that opposition to the law was “provoking anti-Russian sentiment” and “probably came from outside Georgia”.
Recent months have seen thousands of Georgians protesting outside parliament in Tbilisi, the nation’s capital, many waving Georgian and EU flags.
All of which has led, amid the joyous celebrations in Germany and at home, to criticism of a bonus payment pledged for the team by the nation’s former prime minister, concerns about how the players’ success is being used and even questions over whether political loyalties are dictating team selection at Euro 2024.
That last point provoked a furious reaction from Georgia’s French coach, Willy Sagnol. “I’m insulted, every day, by some t*** — for no footballing reason. And I can’t accept that any longer,” he said, rejecting the claim.
“Football success has solidified Georgian’s society argument,” says Giorgi Bilanishvili, a political and security analyst on Georgia at the Security, Policy & Nationalism Research Center UGSPN, of the desire to join the EU.
Georgia, a former Soviet state which gained independence in 1991, shares a 894km border with Russia. The two countries spent 16 days at war in the summer of 2008 which resulted in 350 deaths and Georgia ceding territory. Georgian Dream, like other opposition parties, says it is pro-Western but critics says it is authoritarian and supportive of Russia.
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Georgia publicly condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 but did not join sanctions against the country, who in turn did not approve a proposal from the South Ossetia region to hold a referendum on leaving Georgia to become part of the Russian Federation. In June 22, the EU deferred Georgia’s application to join the union, citing the government’s refusal to sanction Russia and alleged media censorship in the nation. The EU said Georgia must introduce the necessary reforms before joining.
After Wednesday’s victory over Portugal, Georgia’s former prime minister Bidzina Ivanishvili promised a donation of 30million Georgian lari (£8.4m) to the team for their achievement. The 68-year-old, who is valued by Bloomberg as being worth $7.2billion (£5.7bn), also pledged an additional £8.4m payment should Georgia defeat Spain in the last 16.
Ivanishvili founded Georgian Dream in 2011 and was elected prime minister in October 2012, spending 13 months in office. He is honorary chairman of the political party he founded — which has governed Georgia over 12 years.
“He is basically in charge of the party, like an informal leader — the whole country knows this,” says Alexander Gabritchidze, football commentator for Setanta Sports Georgia. “In Georgia, these announcements are normal. Before the Olympics, they announce that any medal winner will receive a cash bonus. The same is true for football. Politicians here always use sporting successes to gain more voters.”
While politicians attaching themselves to sporting success is familiar in many countries, Georgian Dream is “politicising football to distract from their controversial policies”, according to Anna Gvarishvili, a contributor analyst who monitors civic freedom for Tabula, which describes itself as “the foremost media advocate of the institutions and principles of liberal democracy in Georgia”.
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Georgia faces an election in October with the nation on edge, amid protests against the “foreign agents” law and police violence. Security analyst Bilanishvili describes the polls as “Georgia’s most important since independence”.
Thomas de Waal, author of The Caucasus: An Introduction, says most opinion polls in Georgia suggest two-thirds of voters do not trust any political party.
“The beleaguered ruling party wants to enlist the support of the players,” he adds. “By funding the team, Ivanishvili is attempting to share in their glory.”
Georgia has a rich football history. Dinamo Tbilisi were one of just three clubs who were never relegated from the Soviet Top League. They were crowned Soviet champions twice and enjoyed European success. Tbilisi eliminated Liverpool from the European Cup in 1979-80 and the following season won the European Cup Winners’ Cup, a competition that is now defunct. During the Soviet era, Dinamo Tbilisi became a symbol for Georgian regionalism and identity.
Their playing style fused the work-rate and co-ordinated passing associated with Soviet nations with a blend of individualism and flair, embodied by future Georgia stars Temur Ketsbaia, Georgi Kinkladze and the modern-day talisman, Kvaratskhelia. “Georgia has a new band of national heroes, far more popular than any politician,” says De Waal explains. Gabritchidze agrees: “Those players have much greater influence than any other politician.”
In April, multiple players from Georgia’s Euro 2024 squad appeared to co-ordinate implicit criticism of Georgian Dream. In a domestic political background broadly split between a younger generation more aligned to Georgian nationality and closer ties to the West, alongside an older demographic whose Soviet upbringing encourages pro-Russian sympathies, words and opinions from football stars matter.
Giorgi Kochorashvili, a midfielder with Levante, was the first player to reference the protests on his social media. On April 9, he posted a picture of his niece holding an EU flag — which had become a symbol of the protests against the law. The picture went viral, while Kochorashvili’s Instagram photos were deleted. Meanwhile, Kochorashvili’s father posted the same picture of the player’s niece on his Facebook profile.
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Kakha Kaladze is one of Georgia’s most famous former footballers, spending almost a decade at Milan. He is now mayor of Tbilisi and the secretary general of Georgian Dream. “The following day, Kaladze falsely alleged that Kochorashvili’s father was a supporter of the previous government,” says Gvarishvili.
Jaba Kankava, the Georgia team captain who was capped 101 times before announcing his international retirement in January 2022, posted a photo on his social media of protests against the law, alongside the caption “F*** Russia”. Simultaneously, star winger Kvaratskhelia and Giorgi Mamardashvili, Valencia’s goalkeeper, both posted: “Georgia’s path is to Europe. The European way unites us!! Forward to Europe!! Peace to Georgia.”
Football commentator Gabritchidze believes that there will inevitably be differences in opinion within the squad but the footage in April of riot police using tear gas and water cannons on citizens provided a unifying issue. “Many players did not mention the law, but they were on record against the police aggression,” he says.
To add to the political crossover, the president of the Georgian FA is Levan Kobiashvili, a former player who is also an MP for Georgian Dream. Kobiashvili attended the win over Portugal with Kaladze and Irakli Kobakhidze, the prime minister.
Sagnol, the team’s head coach, was asked at a press conference during the tournament if Zivzivadze’s lack of playing time was a result of his political stance and internal pressure not to select him.
Sagnol responded furiously, saying: “I’m a football coach, I’m nothing else. That is clear to everyone. Who plays and who doesn’t play it’s my entire decision. That’s it.”
On Friday, defender Luka Lochoshvili said Ivanishvili’s donation was a “nice gesture” but that “we are not playing for the money, only for our country”.
Otar Kiteishvili, meanwhile, said the joyful Georgian scenes were “inspiring” and created memories “we will never forget” when asked if the side’s success was a welcome national distraction to the protests.
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After the tournament, regardless of the result against Spain, all 26 players will receive a medal of dignity from Georgia’s president Zourabichvili.
The streets of Tbilisi have been filled with tension and anxiety in recent months but the party lasted long into Wednesday night over victory over Portugal.
The irresistible power of football success and identity exploded in unbridled elation. Georgians will dream of a repeat on Sunday night against Spain.
“The entire country has united around this team in a way it has never done before,” Gabritchidze says.
What nobody knows is what happens when it is over.
(Top image: Visionhaus/Getty Images)
