Khvicha Kvaratskhelia got his idol’s shirt to cap off a “dream” night against Cristiano Ronaldo.
The 23-year-old winger assisted his country in creating history last night at Euro 2024 when Georgia defeated Portugal 2-0.
The Napoli player broke the tie in just two minutes, and after withstanding intense pressure, Georges Mikautadze increased their lead from the penalty spot.
Cristiano Ronaldo, 39, reached a new milestone during the match when he lined up to make his nation’s record-breaking 50th appearance at an international competition.
But as Kvaratskhelia helped Georgia advance to the knockout stages for the first time and set up a matchup with Spain in the last 16, it was a night he would never forget.
Before the game, Kvaratskhelia talked about how much he looked up to Ronaldo and how much it meant to be lining up against his idol.
Kvara has met Ronaldo before
However, this was not the first time the two had crossed paths. Remarkably, in the capital city of Tbilisi, Georgia, Ronaldo inaugurated a new Dinamo Tbilisi Academy back in 2013.
On the trip, he made lots of new friends, including Kvaratskhelia, with whom he posed for a group photo.
Eleven years later, not only was the star player scoring and facing the superstar’s team, but ten of his Georgia squad teammates were also a part of that academy.
And Kvaratskhelia disclosed that he had acquired a clever keepsake from the evening following the game.
After the game, he was able to switch shirts with Ronaldo, and he happily shared a picture of it on social media along with the words “dreams.”
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Before kickoff, Kvaratskhelia acknowledged the man whose posters used to adorn his bedroom walls, saying, “I am a little nervous.”
“I have always dreamed about playing against Cristiano Ronaldo.
“He was an idol for me.
“Ronaldo doesn’t play in Europe anymore and it’s nice to meet him at national level, I’m motivated and I hope to have his shirt.”
In the meantime, Portugal continued to lead the group and will now play Slovenia on Monday in an attempt to advance to the quarterfinals.