Georgia made history at Euro 2024, securing a place in the round of 16 in their first-ever major tournament appearance with a stunning 2-0 victory over Portugal. This remarkable win on Wednesday not only marked Georgia’s greatest footballing achievement since independence but also stands as the biggest upset by FIFA rankings in European Championship history.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia ignited the Georgian dream with an early goal, followed by a penalty from Georges Mikautadze, sealing the fate of a largely second-string Portugal side that had already qualified for the knockout stages. The world number 74th-ranked Georgia triumphed over Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal, who are ranked sixth globally and were crowned European champions in 2016. This victory surpasses Slovakia’s (ranked 48th) win against Belgium (ranked third) earlier in the tournament as the most significant upset based on FIFA rankings.
Image: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia celebrates scoring the opening goal for Georgia against Portugal at Euro 2024, showcasing Georgian national team’s determination and skill.
Despite Portugal fielding a changed lineup, Georgia’s victory was a testament to their resilience and tactical prowess under coach Willy Sagnol. Georgia’s journey to Euro 2024 was anything but straightforward. After a disappointing fourth-place finish in their Euro qualifying group, they navigated a challenging path through the UEFA Nations League and a playoff victory against Greece to reach Germany.
However, their performance against Portugal was far from undeserved. Sagnol, the former Bayern Munich and France defender, has instilled a fighting spirit in his team, culminating in a third-place finish in Group F and a coveted spot in the last 16 against three-time Euro champions Spain. Ironically, these two teams faced each other in the Euro qualifiers, where Spain dominated with a 7-1 victory in Tbilisi.
“When you are the small team of the competition … you know you have nothing to lose…You have no weight on your shoulders,” Sagnol commented, highlighting the underdog mentality that fueled his team’s success. “Today I don’t have a lot of words. I feel very proud to be their manager.”
Georgia’s historic win has also reshaped the landscape of the Euro 2024 round of 16. As a consequence of this result, England is now set to face Slovakia, Romania will play against the Netherlands, and Portugal will confront Slovenia in the next stage. Hungary, who were hoping for a place in the knockout rounds, were ultimately eliminated. In the other Group F match, Turkey secured their progression to the round of 16 with a 2-1 win over Czechia, who were reduced to ten men and subsequently exited the tournament.
Image: Georgian national team players jubilantly celebrate their monumental 2-0 victory against Portugal at Euro 2024, a historic moment for Georgian football.
The match in Gelsenkirchen saw Georgia make an explosive start, taking the lead within the first two minutes. Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia capitalized on a misplaced pass by António Silva, surging forward to slot a low, powerful shot past Portugal’s goalkeeper Diogo Costa.
“We can fight against everyone,” Kvaratskhelia declared after the match, brimming with confidence. “I’m so proud.”
Cristiano Ronaldo, in pursuit of becoming the Euros’ oldest ever goalscorer at 39, was one of the few regular starters in the Portugal lineup from their previous 3-0 win over Turkey. Despite his efforts, Georgia’s defense proved impenetrable, thwarting Portugal’s attacks and looking for opportunities to counter. Their resilience paid off in the 53rd minute when António Silva committed a foul in the penalty area, confirmed by VAR. Mikautadze, who had earlier assisted Kvaratskhelia’s goal, calmly converted the penalty, extending Georgia’s lead and becoming the tournament’s top scorer with three goals.
Ronaldo’s frustration grew throughout the match, earning him a yellow card for dissent and culminating in his substitution after halftime, visibly expressing his disappointment. Remarkably, this is the first time in Ronaldo’s illustrious career that he has failed to score in the group stage of a major international tournament.
In the dying moments of the game, Georgia’s goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili delivered crucial saves to deny Portugal a comeback. The final whistle triggered scenes of wild jubilation as the Georgian squad and coaching staff flooded the pitch, celebrating their unprecedented achievement with the ecstatic fans. This victory was a sweet reward for Georgia, who had narrowly missed out on a draw against Turkey in their opening match (losing 3-1) and were held to a 1-1 draw against Czechia, making this historic night in Gelsenkirchen even more memorable.
Information from Reuters, The Associated Press and ESPN Stats & Information contributed to this report.
