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BERLIN | Xinhua | On that magic evening in the Arena AufSchalke, Georgian icon Levan Kobiashvili might have remembered the day he rang Willy Sagnol three years ago.
The Euro 2024 debutant had just made the tournament’s biggest surprise by beating Portugal led by superstar Cristiano Ronaldo 2-0 and roaring into the round of 16.
Celebrations on the pitch, in the stands, and in the country didn’t seem to end.
Former Bayern Munich defender Sagnol took over as head coach after the 100-caped and former Freiburg, Schalke, and Hertha player had convinced him to accept the Georgian offer. Kobiashvili and the former French international (59 games for France) had played against each other with various clubs in the German first tier.
Kobiashvili kept a close eye on Sagnols’ second career as a coach in Bordeaux, Bayern, and the French under-21 squad. The Georgian Association president (since 2015) intended to lift his country’s national team to a new level by signing a young hungry coach.
The action paid off as the 3.7 million inhabitants state of Georgia managed to qualify for the 2024 Euro after a successful penalty shoot-out against Greece in the qualification rounds.
Relying on a widely unknown team, the squad contains a few stars from powerful clubs in Europe, such as Chwischa Kwarazchelia from Italy’s SSC Naples.
The 23-year-old striker has reached cult status in Napoli as he is named “Kwara-dona” in compliance with the club’s legend Argentine superstar Diego Maradona.
Having scored the lead after 94 seconds, the forward secured an outstanding piece of memorabilia such as Ronaldo’s shirt.
Keeping the narrow lead due to the stunning saves of keeper Giorgi Mamardashvili from the FC Valencia, FC Metz forward Georges Mikautadze put the cherry on top of the cake by doubling the lead with a penalty.
“We have written history,” Kwarazchelia said and called the achievement “the most wonderful day in my life.”
The Georgian forward reported about a chat with Ronaldo. “He wished me luck in advance of the game. If a player like that wishes you luck it is unbelievable, it is incomprehensible.”
Since his early years as a young footballer, Ronaldo has been his admired role model.
Having to face Spain on Sunday didn’t bother the happy side as having reached seems a fairy-tale-like success.
“It’s something very special for the small country, but we from the start said, we don’t come as tourists,” 47-year-old Sagnol said while many in the Georgian team had tears of joy in their eyes.
German record international and TV pundit Lothar Matthaeus praised the Georgian team’s lion-hearted fighting spirit and forward-bound football. “I am happy for them because they deserved to proceed to the next round,” the former Bayern captain said. ■
