The road to Georgia’s first European football championship has been a long one, more than 30 years in the making. So when it finally arrives on Tuesday, no one wants to miss it.
In Germany, the excitement was palpable as thousands of fans packed the streets in Dortmund in heavy rain before flowing into the stadium like a river of red and white. In Tbilisi, thousands of people braved the sweltering heat to gather in the city’s parks and squares to watch their team play Turkey. More people poured into one of the capital’s main stadiums, where a giant video screen was erected.
And then there’s the guy on the motorcycle.
He surprised the Georgian national team at their training base in Germany on Saturday, coming to an abrupt halt after a 12-day journey covering more than 4,000 kilometers (about 2,500 miles). The man was ushered into the field by team officials before training began, spoke briefly with the players, and then unzipped his large blue backpack to reveal the precious item inside: a giant Georgian flag with the words with messages of support from well-wishers back home.
“Georgians only talk about football and what we have achieved, and the energy is crazy,” Georgia captain Ghulam Kahia said on the eve of the game.
Georgia are the lowest-placed team at Euro 2024, but that reality has not diminished its pride. In more than three decades as an independent country, it has never qualified for a major international event.
However, now that the moment has arrived, all the positivity surrounding the team stands in stark contrast to the political crisis dividing the country. The divisions became public just days after the team qualified for the European Championships in March, when the ruling party began efforts to push forward legislation that has faced fierce opposition. The government introduced the bill to make foreign funding of non-governmental groups and media organizations in the country more transparent. Opponents denounced it as a covert effort to transform 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 the future of Georgia, a former Soviet republic, be aligned with Russia or Europe?
“It’s a feeling that’s hard to explain,” said Andro Babuadze, a 20-year-old student who arrived in Dortmund from Tbilisi on Tuesday morning. Most importantly, he said, the event provides a stage for a small country like Georgia to showcase itself. “It feels like you’re getting recognition because these are the elite countries of football in the world. Europe is a very united place. That’s what we’re working towards as a country.
Some analysts and lawmakers said Georgia’s qualification for the European Championships in March – a night that sparked exciting celebrations across the country – created a convenient opportunity for the government to push the bill.
“They decided to seize the moment and think if not now, then when?” said Armaz Akhvlediani, an independent member of Georgia’s parliament.
The unity did not last long. As the game drew closer, protests in Tbilisi and a crackdown by government forces grew increasingly violent. Mr Babuadze said it was “a bit scary and heartbreaking at the same time.”
The bill received final approval in May, but the fight it sparked appears to be far from over. Polls show that more than 60% of Georgians support the country’s membership of NATO and the European Union. For them, Georgia’s debut at a major international football tournament is the clearest evidence yet that their country is part of Europe.
This exposure also made players uncomfortable at times because they couldn’t avoid being drawn into the fight. Some expressed full support for opponents of the government bill. Others have been criticized for not doing so.
When the team’s biggest star, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, issued a neutral statement that did not support either side, he angered some of the opposition’s most strident activists. Other players were more outspoken. One of the strikers, Budu Zivzivadze, condemned the beating of protesters and said in an interview with a local YouTube channel that “Russia is a hostile country not only for us, but for almost everyone.” The same goes for Russia. He later asked the channel to remove that part from his interview, but wrote on social media in May that he opposed “everything that brings Georgia to Russia.”
On the other side of the divide are big names like Kakha Kaladze, one of Georgia’s best players and current mayor of Tbilisi. He defended the government and its decision to pass the law.
The value of the team’s success as a political symbol is clear, though: Protesters have seized on the country’s qualification, mentioning it on banners and placards displayed at demonstrations – which are also often broadcast on football’s usual Songs heard in the venue.
The intensity of the feeling shows no signs of abating. Tickets for Georgia’s three group matches in Germany were sold out in less than an hour as soon as they went on sale. On Tuesday, Dortmund’s live crowd was – at least in spirit – supplemented by another huge one in Tbilisi, where fans packed a stadium equipped with six video screens. It was a frantic, end-to-end match for all that could go down as one of the best in the tournament.
For Georgians, the energy brings back memories of March nights when the country secured a spot at the European Championships. That day, in a packed stadium, fans poured into the stadium and hugged the players. Some were kneeling on the grass. Others climbed onto the goal frame and wrapped it in flags as red smoke rolled from one end of the stadium to the other.
“I almost passed out with joy,” Georgia captain Kahia said.
David Mujiri, a former national team player and current secretary-general of the Georgia Football Association, said in an interview this week that the night was still filled with unbearable tension and indescribable joy. Mr Babu Azeh, a football fan, said it represented something more: a chance for his country to finally be in the spotlight alongside those it aspires to be equal to.
But for him, Georgia’s promotion also brought a fractured country together – albeit briefly. “This is the closest we’ve come to unity in a long time,” Mr. Babouadze said. “Everyone has one thing in common that makes them happy.”
It remains to be seen whether the team’s performance in Germany can restore some of that feeling, and whether participating in the Euros can make Georgia feel more like a part of Europe.
But first wins would have to wait: Georgia erased an early deficit by scoring their first goal at the Euros in their opening game, while Turkey responded with two goals to crush the newcomers The dream of an upset.
The 3-1 defeat didn’t matter to the Georgia crowd, though. As the final whistle blew, they spoke with the team, cheered the players on and thanked them for their tireless support over more than two hours. For a night, participation is all that matters.
Myriam Grigalashvili contributed reporting from Tbilisi, Georgia.
