Khvicha Kvaratskhelia - or Kvaradona as he is affectionately known - is no stranger to making history.
The 23-year-old winger is only in the early stages of his career but has achieved things that not many will and will continue to do so as Georgia head into their first-ever major tournament at the Euros. Starting his career with Georgian side Dinamo Tbilisi, Kvaratskhelia moved to Rustavi as a 16-year-old.
A move to Russia came and went as he was forced to move due to the invasion of Ukraine. The wideman then moved back to his home country with Dinamo Batumi as a relative unknown. It was a bargain switch to Napoli in 2022 that saw the rapid winger’s career really skyrocket.
Scoring 14 goals and notching 17 assists in his debut campaign, he was a key player as the Italian side ended their 33-year wait for a league title. It was there that Kvaratskhelia earned the moniker 'Kvaradona' in tribute to the great Diego Maradona - the Argentine having led the club to their previous Scudetto.
However, former Napoli boss Luciano Spalletti compared him to Liverpool star Mo Salah. Speaking at the time, the Italian said: “He [Kvaratskhelia] is really one who has sensitivity in dribbling, in caressing the ball, in bringing those feints that are so difficult to defend against.
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“Mo Salah is one of those guys who has this quality in the tight spaces and in finishing so precisely, he doesn’t feel the pressure. You can see that he is a quiet boy, he will have a great future.”
Having had the weight of a city’s worth of expectation and hope on his shoulders in Naples, Kvaratskhelia now has the weight of a nation. Placed in a tough Euros qualifying group that included former champions Spain as well as Scotland, Norway and Cyprus, a 7-1 defeat to Spain looked to have put Georgia's Euros hopes to bed.
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But Kvaratskhelia found form at just the right time with four goals in three games to see them into the playoffs. Georgia overcame Luxembourg before dispatching of another former Euros champion in the form of Greece on penalties.
The victory triggered wild celebrations across the country as attention turned to their first-ever major tournament. Kvaratskhelia remains aware of the expectations of his shoulders. Speaking earlier this season, he said: “It’s difficult. Everyone looks at you and looks at you as an example.
“Even in Georgia the kids love me, so I have to be a role model for them. I have to be calm, humble and try to give my best on the pitch and also off of it.”
While Kvaratskhelia will be keen to focus on his assignment in Germany - Georgia set to take on Turkey, Czechia and Portugal in the group stages - there will be other things in his mind. He has been linked with a big-money move to PSG.
The French giants are on the lookout for replacements for Kylian Mbappe who has left for Real Madrid. L’Equipe report that PSG are keen on him but a deal will be far from cheap.
It is suggested that they have already lodged a €100 million (£85m) bid for him. That fee would invariably have made him the most expensive Georgian footballer of all time.
Regardless of if a deal goes through or not, Kvaratskhelia looks set to claim that title anyway - adding another chapter to the growing history book that he is already putting together. Another major pageturner could await him in Germany at Euro 2024.
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Georgia celebrate their penalty shootout victory against Greece (Getty Images)Full Georgia Euro 2024 squad:
Goalkeepers: Mamardashvili, Loria, Gugeshashvili.
Defenders: Kvirkvelia, Kashia, Gvelesiani, Dvali, Lochoshvili, Kakabadze, Gocholeishvili, Tabidze.
Midfielders: Kochorashvili, Kiteishvili, Kvekveskiri, Chakvetadze, Tsitaishvili, Shengelia , Altunashvili, Mekvabishvili, Lobzhanidze, Davitashvili, Sigua.
Attackers: Kvaratshkelia, Kvilitaia, Mikautadze, Zivzivadze.
Georgia Euro 2024 fixtures:
Turkey (Tues. Jun 18, 5pm)
Czechia (Sat. Jun 22, 2pm)
Portugal (Weds. Jun 26, 8pm)
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