Georgia defeated Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal 2-0 in a stunning Euro 2024 Group F finale, advancing to the round of 16 in their first major international tournament.
The Transcaucasian nation took an early lead in the 2nd minute, thanks to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and solidified their position with a 57th-minute penalty from Georges Mikautadze.
Securing their spot in the pre-quarterfinals as one of the best third-place teams, Georgia finished the group stage behind Portugal and Turkey.
The Georgian press buzzed on Wednesday with speculation about which player would secure Cristiano Ronaldo’s shirt at the final whistle in Gelsenkirchen.
For Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who had expressed his lifelong dream of playing against Ronaldo pre-match, his intentions were clear.
Yet, as the whistle blew, a different dream materialized: Kvaratskhelia and Georgia pulled off a monumental upset, earning a spot in the last-16.
For the lowest-ranked team at the Euros, just participating was an achievement.
Qualifying was remarkable. Defeating the former European Champions was extraordinary.
