The road to Georgia’s first European Championship match was a long one, more than 30 years in the making, so when the match finally arrived on Tuesday, no one wanted to miss it.
In Germany, the excitement was palpable on a rain-soaked day in Dortmund, where thousands of fans packed the streets and then poured into the stadium like a river of red and white. In Tbilisi, tens of thousands of fans braved the sweltering heat to gather in the city’s parks and squares to watch their team take on Turkey. Even more packed into one of the capital’s main stadiums, where giant video screens were erected.
And then there was the man on the motorcycle.
He has Surprise for Georgian national team On Saturday, after a 12-day journey covering more than 4,000 kilometers, or about 2,500 miles, the man stopped at the German training base. He was led onto the field by team officials before practice began, spoke briefly with the players, and then unzipped his giant blue backpack to reveal a precious item inside: a giant Georgian flag. Covered with information Support from kind-hearted people in China.
“Georgians only talk about football and what we have achieved, and the energy is crazy,” Georgia captain Guram Kashia said on the eve of the match.
Georgia is the lowest-ranked team at Euro 2024, but that reality has done little to diminish its pride. As an independent nation, Georgia has not qualified for a major international tournament in more than 30 years.
Now, however, the time has come and the positive atmosphere around the team stands in stark contrast to the political crisis that has divided the country. The divisions became public in March, days after the team qualified for the European Championship, when the ruling party began efforts to push through a legislation that was met with strong opposition. The government proposed the bill to make foreign funding of non-governmental organizations and media organizations in the country more transparent. Opponents denounced it as a surreptitious effort. Turn Georgia into a pro-Russian state.
The ensuing unrest sparked the largest protests in the country’s history and raised a national question that is crucial to many: Should Georgia, a former Soviet republic, move toward Russia or Europe?
“It’s hard to describe the feeling,” said Andro Babuadze, 20, a student who arrived in Dortmund from Tbilisi on Tuesday morning. More than anything, he said, the event gave a small country like Georgia a stage to shine. “It feels like you’re recognized because these countries are the elite in world football. Europe is a very united place. That’s what we strive for as a country.”
Some analysts and lawmakers said Georgia’s qualification for the European Championship in March, which was celebrated across the country that night, created a convenient opportunity for the government to push the bill.
“They decided to seize the moment, thinking if not now, when?” said Armaz Akhvlediani, an independent member of Georgia’s parliament.
The solidarity didn’t last. As the game approached, protests in Tbilisi and a crackdown by government forces intensified. Babouaze said it was “a bit scary and heartbreaking at the same time.”
bill Final approval in MayBut the struggle it has sparked seems far from over. More than 60 percent of Georgians support their country’s membership in NATO and the European Union. according to arrive PollsFor them, Georgia’s debut in a major international football tournament is the clearest proof yet that their country belongs in Europe.
This exposure has also sometimes made players uncomfortable, as they have been unable to avoid being drawn into the controversy. Some have thrown their weight behind opponents of the government’s bills. Others have been criticized for not doing the same.
When the team’s biggest star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia made a neutral statement statement He has angered some of the opposition’s most vocal activists by not taking sides. Other players have been more outspoken. Forward BudŽivživadze condemned the beatings of protesters and said An interview “Russia is not only our enemy, but also the enemy of almost everyone,” he said on a local YouTube channel. He later asked the channel to remove this part from his interview, but in May Wrote on social media He opposed “all efforts to draw Georgia into Russia.”
On the other side are famous figures like Kaha Kaladze, one of Georgia’s best football players and current mayor of Tbilisi. defend government and its decision to pass this law.
Yet the political symbolic value of the team’s success was clear: protesters seized on the country’s qualification for the World Cup, with banners and placards displayed at demonstrations referencing the country’s qualification – which often featured songs normally heard in football stadiums.
The intensity of the emotions shows no sign of abating. Tickets for Georgia’s three group games in Germany sold out in less than an hour after they went on sale. On Tuesday, the crowd in Dortmund matched another big game in Tbilisi – at least in spirit, as fans packed a stadium equipped with six video screens. All watched a frenetic, start-to-finish contest that could go down as one of the tournament’s best.
For Georgians, the enthusiasm brought back fond memories of that March night when the country qualified for the European Championship. On that day, the stadium was packed, and fans poured onto the field, hugging players and one another. Some knelt on the grass. Others climbed the goal frames and wrapped them with national flags, as red smoke drifted from one end of the stadium to the other.
“I almost fainted with joy,” said Casillas, the Georgia team’s captain.
David Mujiri, a former national team player and now the secretary general of Georgia’s Asian Football Confederation, said in an interview this week that the night was still filled with extreme tension and indescribable joy. Fan Babuaze said it meant something more: that his country finally had a chance to share the spotlight with the countries it longed to be treated as equals.
But for him, Georgia’s inclusion also brought together a fractured country – however briefly. “This is the closest we’ve been to unity in a long time,” Mr Babouadze said. “Everyone has something in common, and that makes them happy.”
It remains to be seen whether the team’s performance in Germany can restore that feeling, and whether participating in the Euros can make Georgia feel more like a part of Europe.
But their first win would have to wait: while Georgia made up for an early deficit by scoring the country’s first goal at the European Championships in the first match, Turkey added two more goals to shatter the newcomer’s dreams of an upset.
However, for the Georgian people, the 3-1 defeat was not important. When the final whistle blew, they cheered with the team and cheered for the players. They trudged to thank everyone for their unremitting support for more than two hours. For an evening, being part of it was the most important thing.
Myriam Grigalashvili contributed reporting from Tbilisi, Georgia.
