"I am a little nervous. I have always dreamed about playing against Cristiano Ronaldo.”
That was the admission from Kvicha Kvaratskhelia on the eve of Georgia’s do-or-die final group game against already-qualified Portugal. The Napoli forward, Georgia’s undoubted star, grew up as a boyhood Ronaldo fan. Pictures on his bedroom walls wears No.7 for his country because he wants to be like him. All that.
“He was an idol for me. Ronaldo doesn't play in Europe anymore and it's nice to meet him at national level, I'm motivated and I hope to have his shirt.”
As the ridiculous countdown from 10 to kickoff ticked down in Gelsenkirchen, the two lined up on either side of the halfway line. They shared a few complimentary words and a quick cuddle. It was all smiles between football’s biggest name and the man nicknamed ‘Kvaradona’.
Just over 90 seconds later, one of them was sprinting off in celebration. The surprise was, it wasn’t the Portuguese captain.
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From kickoff, the Seleccao had kept hold of possession, not risking it, everyone getting a touch. Then Benfica defender Antonio Silva had one of those moments, where, inexplicably, he just passed it straight to an opposition player.
Under no pressure, he gifted it to Georges Mikautadze on the halfway line - “a nightmare, shocking pass” according to ITV ’s Ally McCoist - and Georgia were away.
Mikautadze drove forward, with Kvaratskhelia racing up to his left, having brushed past Silva en route. Mikautadze’s pass rolled him in, Kvaratskhelia took one perfect touch out his feet and then struck, hard, low, past Diogo Costa and into the far corner.
Cue bedlam.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia of Georgia celebrates (Getty Images)The Georgian players rushed towards their fans behind that goal. Those same supporters roared a deafening roar, the sound reverberating off all four sides of the Veltins Arena. In the press box, most Georgians screamed and celebrated. Some rushed to film themselves, attempting to mimic those spontaneous reactions for the good of their social media feeds.
Pat Nevin, summarising for BBC Radio 5 Live, declared: “Khvicha Kvaratskhelia just slides the finish into the far post. Before it arrived to his feet you knew he was going to score.
“Kvaratskhelia is not just a good goalscorer or good one on one but he has the pace to get in behind. He showed a clean pair of heels when he broke away. He is a real threat.”
Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal looks on (UEFA via Getty Images)Amid the delirium at one end, on the touchline Roberto Martinez stood, impassively.
In the centre circle, Ronaldo looked back at his much-changed team, attempting to calm his team-mates, Silva in particular, reminding them who they were and how long was left.
But it wasn't to be. The Seleccao fell to a 2-0 loss in the biggest shock in Euros history, as Georgia claimed a last 16 place, where they will face Spain.
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By the time the final whistle had gone, Ronaldo, face like thunder, was sitting on the bench, having failed to score in a group stage at a major tournament for the first time.
He'll at least have been happy to know that in that moment all eyes weren’t on him, but rather the Eastern European star who calls him ‘idol’.
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