Kvaratskhelia’s Historic Win and Ronaldo Jersey Swap Mark Georgia’s Best Day

Kvaratskhelia joyously marks his historic achievement following an unforgettable victory and jersey swap with Ronaldo Reuters, 56 min ago Kvaratskhelia shines as standout performer Reuters Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Georgia’s standout player at 23, delivered a match-winning performance to lead his team into the Euro 2024 round of 16 with a monumental 2-0 triumph over Portugal. Inspired by a pre-game pep talk from his childhood idol Cristiano Ronaldo (39), Kvaratskhelia opened the scoring within two minutes, stunning the former European champions. His dynamic dribbling display earned him a standing ovation when he left the field with fifteen minutes remaining.

The forward, shouldering the hopes of Georgian fans, fulfilled a dream of facing Ronaldo and securing his idol’s jersey.

Ahead of Georgia’s crucial match, a 2013 photo of Ronaldo visiting a Tbilisi football academy circulated on social media, depicting the Portuguese legend surrounded by enthusiastic young players, including Kvaratskhelia.

Reflecting on his achievement, Kvaratskhelia shared, “I now have Ronaldo’s jersey. This, coupled with advancing to the next round, is the best day in the lives of Georgians. Everyone is ecstatic; we’ve made history. No one believed we could defeat Portugal, but our team’s strength prevailed.”

Kvaratskhelia revealed Ronaldo’s pre-match words of encouragement, which he described as inspiring. “When your idol wishes you success before a match, it’s incredible. It fueled us with immense motivation, showing us what we could achieve together.”

Affectionately known as “Kvaradona” by Napoli fans, with whom he won the Italian title in 2023, Kvaratskhelia ranked Georgia’s victory even higher. “This surpasses any personal achievement because achieving this with the Georgian team was tougher than winning with Napoli,” he emphasized.

Despite personal accolades, Kvaratskhelia stressed the team’s collective effort as the foundation of Georgia’s historic achievement. “There wasn’t a single best player today; it was about teamwork and proving ourselves,” he stated.

While acknowledging his teammates’ contributions, Kvaratskhelia hinted at playing a crucial role in Georgia’s upcoming challenge against Spain, suggesting he could yet again be the catalyst for another stunning upset.