Everything You Need to Know About Georgia Before Euro 2024

For the first time in the nation’s history, Georgia have qualified for a major international tournament. Their celebrations after beating Greece 4-2 on penalties to qualify for the tournament was like they won the European Championships; now they finally get to mix with the elite and dream of winning it all.

🕺😁 Georgia squad celebrate EURO 2024 qualification in style! 🇬🇪 pic.twitter.com/taAIB2H5cR

— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) March 26, 2024

Squad

Goalkeepers: Giorgi Loria (Dinamo Tbilisi), Giorgi Mamardashvili (Valencia), Luka Gugeshashvili (Qarabag).

Defenders: Guram Kashia (Slovan Bratislava), Otar Kakabadze (Cracovia), Lasha Dvali (APOEL), Jemal Tabidze (Panetolikos), Luka Lochoshvili (Cremonese), Giorgi Gocholeishvili (Shakhtar Donetsk), Giorgi Gvelesiani (Persepolis).

Midfielders: Nika Kvekverskiri (Lech Poznan), Otar Kiteishvili (Sturm Graz), Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford), Levan Shengelia (Panetlikos), Giorgi Tsitaishvili (Dinamo Batumi), Anzor Mekvabishvili (Universitatea Craiova), Giorgi Kochorashvili (Levante), Sandro Altunashvili (Wolfsberger AC), Jaba Kankava (Slovan Bratislava)

Forwards: Giorgi Kvilitaia (APOEL), Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli), Budu Zivzivadze (Karlsruher), Georges Mikautadze (Metz), Zuriko Davitashvili (Bordeaux), Saba Lobzhanidze (Atalanta United)

🚨🇬🇪Georgia announce the 26-man squad for the EURO 2024! pic.twitter.com/AoFIH1xFSU

— Georgian Footy (@GeorgianFooty) May 22, 2024

Star Player

Georgia may not be full of superstars, but this is definitely a golden era for them. Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili was heavily linked to a move to Premier League giants Newcastle; whilst striker Georges Mikautadze had a six-month spell at Ajax at the beginning of the season, before returning to Metz where he scored 13 and assisted four in just 20 games.

However, the hopes of the nation lie on ‘Kvaradona’s’ shoulders. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is a Napoli hero, who helped guide the club to their first title in over 30 years. A dynamic winger for club, however used in a central role for nation, due to Georgia’s 3-5-2 formation, and to get Kvaratskhelia in the central spaces.

8.3 - Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has been involved in 8.3 attacking sequences per 90 minutes this season in Serie A, the most of any player in Europe's big five leagues (min. 1000 minutes). Force. pic.twitter.com/k5ztiYZIUx

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 25, 2023

Previous Euro’s performance

This is Georgia’s first European Championships, after seven previous failed qualification campaigns.

Prediction for Euro 2024

Georgia will be a side that nobody will give a chance, however in a group that lacks huge quality, a strong Georgia unit and a firing strike force of Kvaratskhelia and Mikautadze could cause the opposition problems. I doubt they will make it out of the group, however, never say never.

Group Fixtures

Tuesday 18th June (17:00 BST) Turkey vs Georgia. Saturday 22nd June (14:00 BST) Georgia vs Czech Republic. Wednesday 26th June (20:00 BST) Georgia vs Portugal.