Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was free almost halfway up the field and noticed that Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon was out of position. Why not try it with a shot?
The Napoli player's effort was almost off target. But the idea itself was spectacular and testifies to the ambitions of Georgia, a representative that was not afraid of failure in "Euro 2024".
Georgia was the only debutant in "Euro 2024". Also, it was the lowest ranked representative in FIFA. On Sunday night, the Georgians were defeated 4:1 by Spain in the round of 2024 in "Euro XNUMX". The loss was deep, but Georgia was on top and fought until the end.
Any sadness from the loss fades as the players appreciate only what they have achieved, says coach Willy Sagnol.
"I am sure that in a few days we will understand what we have done and happiness will return very quickly," said Sagnol.
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Before the start of the European Championship, Sagnol stated that the aim was to gain experience in the debut. The results were somehow not mentioned, while the political unrest in Georgia was a risk that the European remained in the background.
But Georgia pulled off one of the biggest surprises in European history by winning 2:0 against Portugal. Unexpectedly, Georgia was in the knockout stage of the European Championship and the players were promised over $10 million in bonuses by a Georgian businessman. Another bonus was promised for eventual victory over Spain.
The Georgians believed and their European appearance will not be forgotten soon.
In the 3:1 defeat by Turkey in the first match, the Georgians made a masterful pass. In the 1:1 draw with the Czech Republic, they missed a golden opportunity at the end of the match.
Meanwhile, Cristano Ronaldo's 2:0 win over Portugal was built on bold and successful midfield dribbling. Goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili jumped towards the ball for a decisive save.
It is unclear what Georgia's path will be going forward.
France's Sagnol dodged the question of whether he will stay for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
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"Sometimes you have to take the time to sit back and look at what you've done. I think we can all sit back in peace and quiet and look at what we've done in the last year," said the Georgia coach.
"It's the end of a journey, but I'm sure the next journey will also be very exciting."
