Thousands gather on Tbilisi’s Freedom Square to welcome national football team after Euro 2024

Georgia’s national football team received a heroes’ welcome back from their first-ever appearance at the European Championship on Tuesday, with thousands of supporters gathering on Freedom Square in capital Tbilisi to celebrate their memorable appearance at the tournament.

National team and Lech Poznań midfielder Nika Kvekveskiri acted as the master of ceremonies from a stage set up in the downtown square to bring each squad member in to applause and chanting of their names, after the team qualified to the knockout stages of the Championship at the first try, before exiting the tournament with a loss to Spain on Sunday.

Thank you so much for the energy you give us. The greatest strength of this team is that there is a very strong synergy between the fans and us, and we thank you very much for that”, Kvekveskiri told the supporters.

Photo: 1TV

Head coach Willy Sagnol also addressed the fans with an emotional speech, thanking them for their support throughout their participation in the competition.

The three and a half years I have spent here have been very challenging. The players worked tirelessly to achieve our goals. I hope over the next three and a half years, whether things are better or not, we will continue to achieve the same results when we take the stage”, he said.

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze also took to the stage, expressed his pride in the team and reiterated the Government’s support for the sport.

Our boys have given us a real miracle, but this is just the beginning. Starting from September, we will have new and exciting matches with full stands”, Kobakhidze said in reference to qualification games for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Photo: 1TV

The Prime Minister also said the team would be playing in a new, “super-modern” stadium “in a few years”.

The Prime Minister also invited President Salome Zourabichvili to the stage to award members of the national team and the Football Federation with the Order of Honour.

Today is a miracle. This is the kind of Georgia I want. These boys have achieved a miracle through hard work, dedication, talent, professionalism, teamwork and love for their country. They have combined all these elements in an exceptional way, achieving the unattainable”, Zourabichvili said.

The Order of Honour goes to the deserving boys [...] Our boys truly deserve this grand and well-deserved welcoming ceremony”, Kobakhidze added.

Photo: 1TV

The event was concluded with comments by the team captain Guram Kashia, who highlighted the importance of fans’ support for increasing self-confidence of players.

We always feel your support and I want to thank you all once again. Your support has strengthened us, increased our self-belief, and self-confidence. It has been a special few months for our country, and I am happy to see so many happy people. I am glad that our game brought such emotion. This should not be the end of anything, but it should be the beginning of something great”, Kashia said.

The event was then concluded with fireworks.

The team’s journey on their major tournament debut earned them praise for their performances, including a surprising 2-0 victory over Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in the final group stage match.

The win earned the squad a spot in the playoff round as the best third-placed team from the pool stage, where they lost to Spain 4-1 in the last 16 round.