In the sporting world, Georgia is known for rugby union, wrestling, and judo. Their footballing pedigree, at the elite level, is shallow. But this nation, overshadowed by Russia, their northern neighbour, even since their independence in 1991, will now compete at their first major tournament — and the central reason is Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
The 23-year-old left-winger broke into cultural consciousness during a spellbinding 2022-23 campaign at Napoli, where 12 goals and 13 assists in the league led Luciano Spalletti’s side to their first Serie A title in 33 years. The city bequeathed him a new nickname, borrowed from their greatest footballing son — ’Kvaradona’.
What’s his secret? Watching Kvaratskhelia is different from watching most left-wingers — he is physically larger and stockier, with his dribbling style idiosyncratically upright. But these traits, allied with superb technical ability, force defenders into making late and hasty decisions, and he is then quick, strong and ambidextrous enough to go the other way.
This unusual style means his attacking game has variety. Just 51 per cent of his shot-creating actions — denoting the two attacking actions that lead to a shot — come from open-play passes, the third-lowest rate among forwards in Serie A this season.
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The Radar – The Athletic’s Euro 2024 scouting guide