Georgia's National Football Team Appoints Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as Captain

A New Captain and Vice-Captains for Georgia

According to Главком: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has been named the new captain of the Georgian national football team. He takes over the armband from Guram Kashia, who is retiring from international duty. Kvaratskhelia will lead the side for the first time in a friendly match against Israel on March 26th, having previously served as captain on three occasions. This leadership change comes as Georgia builds on their impressive run to the knockout stages of Euro 2024.

Alongside the new captain, Georgia has also appointed two new vice-captains:

• Otar Kakabadze, a defender for Poland's Cracovia
• Otar Kiteishvili, a midfielder for Austria's Sturm Graz

The outgoing captain, 38-year-old Guram Kashia, announced his retirement from the national team, with his farewell match scheduled for June.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's Career

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia currently plays for French club Paris Saint-Germain. In the current season, he has made 37 appearances across all competitions, scoring 12 goals and providing 7 assists. His contract with PSG runs until the summer of 2029. Born in Tbilisi, Kvaratskhelia made his senior national team debut before his youth team debut. He received his first call-up from coach Vladimir Weiss and debuted in a 3-0 victory over Gibraltar in June 2019. He scored his first international goal in October 2020 in a 1-1 draw with North Macedonia.

In total, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has earned 47 caps for Georgia, scoring 20 goals. The Georgian national team, managed by Willy Sagnol, has two friendlies scheduled for March: against Israel on the 26th and Lithuania on the 29th. Following these, a friendly against Romania is planned for June 1st. In the autumn, Georgia will begin their UEFA Nations League campaign in League B, facing Hungary, Ukraine, and Northern Ireland.

The appointment of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as captain marks a significant step in the evolution of the Georgian national team. With new vice-captains and a young leader, Georgia aims to solidify its position in upcoming fixtures, including a challenging Nations League group. This transition underscores the growing importance of the team's younger generation in shaping its future on the international stage.