A talismanic No. 7 commanded his nation from the front.
And his countrymen, all heroes, created history.
Kvaratskhelia delivered one of the tournament’s most impressive performances against Portugal.
Cristiano who?
No, this was Kvicha Kvaratskhelia’s night with his brothers in arms and Georgia.
In the lead-up to the game, Kvaratskhelia claimed he had underperformed in his country’s first major competition.
The electrifying winger who played a key role in Napoli’s 2022/3 Serie A victory was not living up to the label that his club’s fans had bestowed upon him.
Kvaradona will never overtake Diego Maradona.
But for one night only, he and his side defeated living legend Cristiano Ronaldo and his highly regarded Portugal team.
They took the lead after just 90 seconds, thanks to Kvaratskhelia’s spectacular breakaway goal.
It seemed improbable that they could hold out for another 90 minutes or more.
However, some brave defending and Portugal’s failure to take advantage of their opportunities kept them ahead until George Mikautadze increased their lead with a VAR-awarded penalty.
