Georgian PM: welcoming event for national football team’s Euro 2024 performance “absolutely deserved”

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Wednesday said the national football team had “absolutely deserved” the welcoming they received from supporters on Tuesday on their return from the team’s first-ever appearance at the European Championship.

Thousands of supporters gathered on Freedom Square in capital Tbilisi to celebrate the squad’s return to the country after earning praise from pundits for their performances, recording a win against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal and earning a spot in the playoff round of the competition as the best third-placed team in the group stage.

• Georgian national football team advances in knockout round after win over Portugal at UEFA Euro 2024

In his comments to the media, Kobakhidze said the team had brought “special joy and a sense of pride, which our people needed so much”.

[...] The large-scale reception we organised for our players - which the Georgian people organised for them - was absolutely deserved. You saw that a real celebration took place yesterday, which every player deserved”, the PM said.

The team exited the competition after losing to Spain 4-1 in the last 16 round on Sunday.