Georgia national football team
The Georgia national football team (Georgian: საქართველოს ეროვნული საფეხბურთო ნაკრები, romanized: sakartvelos erovnuli sapekhburto nak'rebi) represents the country of Georgia in men's international football matches, and it is controlled by the Georgian Football Federation. The Georgian team's first match took place in 1990, while Georgia was still part of the Soviet Union. The team have attempted to qualify for each major tournament from Euro 1996 onwards, but have not achieved qualification yet. Home games are played at the Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena in Tbilisi.
Nickname(s) | ჯვაროსნები jvarosnebi (Crusaders) | ||
---|---|---|---|
Association | Georgian Football Federation (GFF) საქართველოს ფეხბურთის ფედერაცია | ||
Confederation | UEFA (Europe) | ||
Head coach | Vacant | ||
Captain | Jaba Kankava | ||
Most caps | Levan Kobiashvili (100) | ||
Top scorer | Shota Arveladze (26) | ||
Home stadium | Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena | ||
FIFA code | GEO | ||
| |||
FIFA ranking | |||
Current | 89 (10 December 2020)[1] | ||
Highest | 42 (September 1998) | ||
Lowest | 156 (March 1994) | ||
First international | |||
Unofficial Georgian SSR 2–2 Lithuania (Tbilisi, Georgia; 27 May 1990) Official Lithuania 1–0 Georgia (Kaunas, Lithuania; 2 September 1992) | |||
Biggest win | |||
Georgia 7–0 Armenia (Tbilisi, Georgia; 30 March 1997) | |||
Biggest defeat | |||
Romania 5–0 Georgia (Bucharest, Romania; 24 April 1996) Denmark 6–1 Georgia (Copenhagen, Denmark; 7 September 2005) |
History
The history of the Georgia national football team began in 1990, when the team played their first international match against Lithuania, the first country to accept an invitation. The match was held on 27 May 1990 at national stadium. Georgia were coached by Givi Nodia. The friendly match ended in a 2–2 draw. This was the only match prior to the declaration of independence on 9 April 1991. Soon afterwards the team played another friendly match against Moldova.
The Georgian Football Federation became a member of both UEFA and FIFA in 1992,[2] enabling Georgia to play competitive matches. The first of these came in September 1994, a 1–0 defeat to Moldova[3] as part of the qualifiers for Euro 1996. Georgia finished third in their group, ahead of Moldova and Wales, but seven points behind second-placed qualifier Bulgaria.
Georgia failed to qualify for 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, obtaining 10 points and finishing in fourth place, level on points with Poland. At this time Georgia reached forty-second place in the FIFA World Ranking.
In the UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying the Georgia national team won one match, drew two and finished bottom of the group with five points. This marked the beginning of a period of decline for Georgian football.
The team finished fifth (and last) with seven points in their qualifying group for Euro 2004, although they defeated Russia with a goal scored by Malkhaz Asatiani.
In the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers Georgia beat Albania 2–0 at home and Kazakhstan away 2–1. They finished sixth (second bottom) with ten points in Group 2.
Georgia were sixth out of seven teams in the UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying group with ten points. They defeated Scotland 2–0 at home and the Faroe Islands 6–0 away and 3–1 at home.
Héctor Cúper became the manager of Georgia in August 2008. During the qualification round for the 2010 FIFA World Cup Georgia failed to win any matches and finished sixth (and last) with three points. Cuper didn't extend his contract, and on 6 November 2009 Temur Ketsbaia was appointed as the new manager of the Georgian national football team. Ketsbaia resigned as manager after a 4–0 defeat at home to Poland in the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifiers on 14 November 2014, having previously stated he would do so before the match regardless of the result.
In June 2016, Georgia beat the two-times reigning European champions Spain 1–0 in their final pre-Euro 2016 friendly.[4]
In 2018, they were the first team to earn promotion in the new UEFA Nations League. They scored the event's first goal in a UEFA Nations League D game in Kazakhstan before beating Latvia twice and Andorra, with 2 games still to spare. In the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying, Georgia had a disappointing run, with their only wins came over Gibraltar. Still, having finished first place in League D, Georgia was able to qualify for the country's first ever major playoff. Georgia managed to beat Belarus 1–0 and thus the hope to qualify for UEFA Euro 2020 increased, but it went in vain after the Georgians suffered a heartbreaking home defeat to North Macedonia in the decisive match and thus missed the opportunity to make a historic debut in a major competition.
Competitive record
FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup record | FIFA World Cup qualification record | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Position | |
1930 to 1990 | Part of the Soviet Union | Part of the Soviet Union | ||||||||||||||
1994 | Did not enter | Did not enter | ||||||||||||||
1998 | Did not qualify | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 4/5 | ||||||||
2002 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 12 | 3/5 | |||||||||
2006 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 14 | 25 | 6/7 | |||||||||
2010 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 19 | 6/6 | |||||||||
2014 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 4/5 | |||||||||
2018 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 14 | 5/6 | |||||||||
2022 | To be determined | To be determined | ||||||||||||||
2026 | ||||||||||||||||
Total | 0/8 | 56 | 9 | 16 | 31 | 51 | 89 | — |
UEFA European Championship
UEFA European Championship record | UEFA European Championship qualifying record | ||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Position | ||
1960 to 1992 | Part of the Soviet Union | Part of the Soviet Union | |||||||||||||||
1996 | Did not qualify | 10 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 14 | 13 | 3/6 | |||||||||
2000 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 18 | 6/6 | ||||||||||
2004 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 14 | 5/5 | ||||||||||
2008 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 16 | 19 | 6/7 | ||||||||||
2012 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 5/6 | ||||||||||
2016 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 16 | 5/6 | ||||||||||
2020 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 12 | 4/5 (PO runners-up) | ||||||||||
2024 | To be determined | To be determined | |||||||||||||||
Total | 0/7 | 70 | 19 | 10 | 41 | 71 | 101 | — |
Head-to-head record
Opponents | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Albania | 14 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 23 | 13 | +10 | 57.14 |
Andorra | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 50.00 |
Armenia | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 14 | 8 | +6 | 42.86 |
Austria | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 0.00 |
Azerbaijan | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 6 | +2 | 33.33 |
Belarus | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | +0 | 50.00 |
Bulgaria | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 15 | −9 | 20.00 |
Cameroon | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0 | 0.00 |
Croatia | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 33.33 |
Cyprus | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 7 | −1 | 33.33 |
Denmark | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 15 | −10 | 0.00 |
Egypt | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0 | 0.00 |
England | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | −4 | 0.00 |
Estonia | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 7 | +2 | 57.14 |
Faroe Islands | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 | +8 | 100.00 |
Finland | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 0.00 |
France | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 | −6 | 0.00 |
Germany | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 12 | −10 | 0.00 |
Gibraltar | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 2 | +11 | 100.00 |
Greece | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 14 | −9 | 0.00 |
Hungary | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 50.00 |
Iceland | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 0.00 |
Iran | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 0.00 |
Israel | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 7 | −3 | 16.67 |
Italy | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 14 | −12 | 0.00 |
Jordan | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | +0 | 50.00 |
Kazakhstan | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 4 | +3 | 50.00 |
Latvia | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 18 | 10 | +8 | 50.00 |
Lebanon | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 7 | −3 | 0.00 |
Liechtenstein | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 100.00 |
Lithuania | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 6 | +7 | 50.00 |
Luxembourg | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 50.00 |
Malta | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 5 | +7 | 66.67 |
Moldova | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 17 | 14 | +3 | 33.33 |
Montenegro | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 0.00 |
New Zealand | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 0.00 |
Nigeria | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | −4 | 0.00 |
Northern Ireland | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 0.00 |
North Macedonia | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | −2 | 0.00 |
Norway | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 6 | −5 | 0.00 |
Paraguay | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 0.00 |
Poland | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 13 | −9 | 20.00 |
Portugal | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | −2 | 0.00 |
Qatar | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 100.00 |
Republic of Ireland | 11 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 5 | 18 | −13 | 0.00 |
Romania | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 19 | −15 | 0.00 |
Russia | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 33.33 |
Saudi Arabia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 100.00 |
Scotland | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 50.00 |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 100.00 |
Serbia | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 0.00 |
Slovakia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | +0 | 50.00 |
Slovenia | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 25.00 |
South Africa | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 100.00 |
South Korea | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | +0 | 0.00 |
Spain | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 33.33 |
Switzerland | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 | −6 | 0.00 |
Tunisia | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 50.00 |
Turkey | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 12 | −7 | 20.00 |
United Arab Emirates | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 0.00 |
Ukraine | 9 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 16 | −10 | 0.00 |
Uruguay | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 100.00 |
Uzbekistan | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | +0 | 0.00 |
Wales | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 3 | +6 | 60.00 |
Total: 64 countries | 249 | 75 | 53 | 121 | 285 | 352 | −67 | 30.12 |
All Time Results
The following table shows Georgia's all-time international record, correct as of 17 Nov 2020.
Against | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | GF | GA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | 248 | 75 | 53 | 120 | 285 | 351 |
Recent results and forthcoming fixtures
2020
5 September 2020 2020–21 UEFA Nations League | Estonia | 0–1 | Georgia | Tallinn, Estonia |
19:00 UTC+3 | Report |
|
Stadium: A. Le Coq Arena Attendance: 0 Referee: Donatas Rumšas (Lithuania) |
8 September 2020 2020–21 UEFA Nations League | Georgia | 1–1 | North Macedonia | Tbilisi, Georgia |
20:00 UTC+4 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena Attendance: 0 Referee: Peter Kjærsgaard-Andersen (Denmark) |
8 October 2020 Euro 2020 play-offs SF | Georgia | 1–0 | Belarus | Tbilisi, Georgia |
20:00 UTC+4 |
|
Report | Stadium: Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena Attendance: 0 Referee: Cüneyt Çakır (Turkey) |
11 October 2020 2020–21 UEFA Nations League | Armenia | 2–2 | Georgia | Tychy, Poland |
20:00 UTC+4 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Tychy City Stadium Referee: Ivan Bebek (Croatia) |
14 October 2020 2020–21 UEFA Nations League | North Macedonia | 1–1 | Georgia | Skopje, North Macedonia |
20:45 UTC+2 | Report |
|
Stadium: Toše Proeski Arena Referee: Bartosz Frankowski (Poland) |
12 November 2020 Euro 2020 play-offs F | Georgia | 0–1 | North Macedonia | Tbilisi, Georgia |
21:00 UTC+4 | Report |
|
Stadium: Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena Attendance: 0 Referee: Anthony Taylor (England) |
15 November 2020 2020–21 UEFA Nations League | Georgia | 1–2 | Armenia | Tbilisi, Georgia |
21:00 UTC+4 |
|
Report | Stadium: Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena Referee: Marco Guida (Italy) |
18 November 2020 2020–21 UEFA Nations League | Georgia | 0–0 | Estonia | Tbilisi, Georgia |
21:00 UTC+4 | Report | Stadium: Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena Referee: Irfan Peljto (Bosnia and Herzegovina) |
Players
Current squad
The following players were called up for the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying play-off match against North Macedonia on 12 November, and the 2020–21 UEFA Nations League fixtures against Armenia and Estonia on 15 and 18 November 2020, respectively.[7]
Recent call-ups
The following players have not been called up for the upcoming matches but have been called up for the team in the last 12 months.
Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DF | Davit Kobouri | 24 January 1998 | 0 | 0 | Dinamo Tbilisi | v. North Macedonia, 8 September 2020 |
DF | Giorgi Navalovski | 28 June 1986 | 41 | 0 | Dinamo Batumi | v. North Macedonia, 8 September 2020 |
MF | Giorgi Kutsia | 27 October 1999 | 0 | 0 | Dinamo Tbilisi | v. North Macedonia, 8 September 2020 |
- INJ Withdrew due to an injury.
- PRE Preliminary squad.
- RET Retired from international football.
Records
Lists of 10 players with the most caps and top goalscorers for Georgia, as of 10 June 2019 (players in bold are still available for selection):[8][9]
Most caps
|
Top goalscorers
|
Managers
As of 19 November 2019[10]
Manager | Georgia career | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Win % |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Givi Nodia | 1990 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 |
Giga Norakidze | 1991–1992 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 50.00 |
Aleksandre Chivadze | 1993–1996 | 24 | 9 | 1 | 14 | 37.50 |
Vladimir Gutsaev (caretaker) | 1996 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.00 |
David Kipiani | 1997 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 57.14 |
Vladimir Gutsaev | 1998 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 60.00 |
Gigla Imnadze (caretaker) | 1998 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 |
Vladimir Gutsaev | 1998–1999 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 25.00 |
Johan Boskamp | 1999 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0.00 |
David Kipiani / Revaz Dzodzuashvili | 2000–2001 | 16 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 31.25 |
Aleksandre Chivadze | 2001–2003 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 36.36 |
Ivo Šušak | 2003 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 50.00 |
Merab Jordania | 2003 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 33.33 |
Gocha Tkebuchava (caretaker) | 2004 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.00 |
Alain Giresse | 2004–2005 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 20.00 |
Gaioz Darsadze (caretaker) | 2005 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 28.57 |
Klaus Toppmöller | 2006–2008 | 24 | 7 | 4 | 13 | 29.17 |
Petar Segrt (caretaker) | 2008 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.00 |
Héctor Cúper | 2008–2009 | 16 | 1 | 4 | 11 | 6.25 |
Temur Ketsbaia | 2010–2014 | 40 | 13 | 9 | 18 | 32.50 |
Kakhaber Tskhadadze | 2014–2016 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 30.00 |
Vladimír Weiss | 2016–2020 | 48 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 33.33 |
Notable results
Date | Team | Result | Team |
---|---|---|---|
16 November 1994 | Georgia | 5–0 | Wales |
7 June 1995 | Wales | 0–1 | Georgia |
11 October 1995 | Georgia | 2–1 | Bulgaria |
10 September 1997 | Georgia | 0–0 | Italy |
11 October 1997 | Georgia | 3–0 | Poland |
1 September 2001 | Georgia | 3–1 | Hungary |
27 March 2002 | Georgia | 4–1 | South Africa |
30 April 2003 | Georgia | 1–0 | Russia |
15 November 2006 | Georgia | 2–0 | Uruguay |
7 February 2007 | Georgia | 1–0 | Turkey |
17 October 2007 | Georgia | 2–0 | Scotland |
20 August 2008 | Wales | 1–2 | Georgia |
26 March 2011 | Georgia | 1–0 | Croatia |
6 September 2013 | Georgia | 0–0 | France |
4 September 2015 | Georgia | 1–0 | Scotland |
7 June 2016 | Spain | 0–1 | Georgia |
8 September 2019 | Georgia | 0–0 | Denmark |
See also
- Georgia national teams
- Men's
- Footballers
- Football team
- Results
- Captains
- Under-23 football team
- Under-21 football team
- Under-19 football team
- Under-17 football team
- Futsal team
- Beach soccer team
- Women's
- Footballers
- Football team
- Results
- Under-20 football team
- Under-17 football team
References
- "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking". FIFA. 10 December 2020. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
- "Georgian Football Federation". UEFA. Retrieved 30 December 2006.
- "Georgia – International Results". RSSSF. Retrieved 30 December 2006.
- "Spain fall to Georgia in final friendly ahead of Euro 2016". ESPN FC. 7 June 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
- "Georgia national football team match results". eu-football.info. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
- "Georgia - International Results". www.rsssf.com. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
- "ვლადიმირ ვაისმა საქართველოს ნაკრების შემადგენლობა დაასახელა" [Vladimír Weiss named the composition of the Georgian national team]. Georgian Football Federation (in Georgian). 28 September 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
- "Georgia international footballers of all-time". eu-football.info. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
- "Georgia national football team goal scorers of all-time". eu-football.info. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
- "Georgia national team managers". eu-football.info. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Georgia national football team. |