Georgia’s players and staff are set to receive an eye-watering £8.4million bonus from a former Prime Minister after upsetting the odds to reach the knockout stages at Euro 2024.
Competing in their first European Championship, Georgia saw their knockout hopes hanging by a thread heading into the final round of group-stage fixtures.
That’s after they picked up one point from their first two games, losing 3-1 against Turkiye and drawing 1-1 with Czechia.
However, facing Portugal on Wednesday, Willy Sagnol’s side upset the odds to claim a shock 2-0 win – courtesy of goals from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Georges Mikautadze – and progress to the knockout stages as one of the best third-place sides.
And the players will have all the more reason to celebrate after Georgian billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili pledged to give £8.4m to the team as a reward for their achievements.
Ivanishvili, who founded the Georgian Dream political party and served as prime minister from 2012 to 2013, made his fortune his fortune in Russia in the 1990s and has an estimated worth of around £3.87bn.
Furthermore, the 68-year-old said he would give the squad another £8.4m cash prize if they produce another shock win against Spain on Sunday in Cologne.
A statement read: ‘30million GEL (£8.4m) will be awarded to the national team
‘At the same time, on the initiative of Bidzina Ivanishvilli, in case of winning the eighth-final meeting with advancing to the next stage, the national team of Georgia will receive an additional 30m GEL as a reward.
‘The honorary chairman of ‘Georgian Dream’ thanks every player of the football team, the coaching staff and the Georgian fans for this historic and dream victory.’
Georgia were the lowest-ranked team in the tournament and have won just one of their seven previous fixtures against Spain.
Luis de la Fuente’s side were the only team to win all three games in the group stages and are yet to concede a goal in the tournament.