This blogger Artur Yanturin of Russia n copied my blog team. His entry was written in October 2020, but mine was uploaded in September, 2020. I also updated mine periodically. I looked mistakes. He kept my mistakes. He seemed to be someone from the formerly Soviet Union. He should know the topic much more than I do, but he still made my mistakes. He also copied many many of my blog entries. His Spartak Moscow All-Time team entry of was published in October 2020, but mine was uploaded in 2017. His entry of the Dutch-German rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona was written in 2020, but mine was uploaded in 2014.
Этот блоггер Артур Янтурин из России скопировал команду моего блога. Его запись была написана в октябре 2020 года, но моя была загружена в сентябре 2020 года. Я также периодически обновлял свою. Я посмотрел ошибки. Он сохранил мои ошибки. Он казался кем-то из бывшего Советского Союза. Он должен знать тему гораздо больше, чем я, но он все равно делал мои ошибки. Он также скопировал многие из моих записей в блоге. Его запись о московском «Спартаке» за все время была опубликована в октябре 2020 года, но моя была загружена в 2017 году. Его запись о голландско-германском соперничестве между «Реалом» и «Барселоной» была написана в 2020 году, а моя была загружена в 2014 году.
ამ ბლოგერმა არტურ იანტურინმა რუსეთიდან დააკოპირა ჩემი ბლოგის გუნდი. მისი ჩანაწერი დაიწერა 2020 წლის ოქტომბერში, მაგრამ ჩემი აიტვირთა 2020 წლის სექტემბერში. ასევე პერიოდულად ვაახლებდი ჩემსას. შეცდომებს ვუყურებდი. მან შეინარჩუნა ჩემი შეცდომები. როგორც ჩანს, ის იყო ვინმე ყოფილი საბჭოთა კავშირიდან. მან ჩემზე ბევრად მეტი უნდა იცოდეს თემა, მაგრამ მან მაინც დაუშვა ჩემი შეცდომები. მან ასევე დააკოპირა ბევრი ჩემი ბლოგის ჩანაწერი. მისი სპარტაკი მოსკოვის ყველა დროის გუნდის ჩანაწერი გამოქვეყნდა 2020 წლის ოქტომბერში, მაგრამ ჩემი ატვირთული იყო 2017 წელს. მისი ჩანაწერი ჰოლანდიურ-გერმანული დაპირისპირების შესახებ მადრიდის რეალსა და ბარსელონას შორის დაიწერა 2020 წელს, მაგრამ ჩემი ატვირთულია 2014 წელს.
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| 2018-2019 UEFA Nations League |
Please also see my All-Time World Cup Team Index.
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.
During the Soviet era, Georgia contributed the third largest number of players to the national team. The leading club of the Georgian SSR was Dinamo Tbilisi. They were one of a handful of teams in the Soviet Top League (along with Dynamo Kyiv and Dynamo Moscow) that were never relegated. Alongside Ukrainian Dynamo Kyiv, they were the only club in Soviet era to win European competition. They won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1981. Twenty-one players from Georgia had gone to the World Cup Finals. Three Georgian players Mikheil Meskhi, Slava Metreveli and Givi Chokheli were on the Soviet team that won the 1960 European Championship.
If
there were an All-Time World Cup, this would be the 23 players I would
bring to the tournament. The team is not an All-Star team. I tried to
be as realistic as possible. A few of the players are selected for tactical reasons at the expense of more famous players.
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| The USSR 1982 World Cup team featured 4 Georgians |
Team
GK:Anzor Kavazashvili (Soviet Union)
Anzor Kavazashvili played for Soviet Union 29 matches, and was a participant at the 1966 and 1970 FIFA World Cup and 1968 European Chamopionship as Lev Yashin's backup . For club football, he started with Dinamo Tobilisi in 1957, but his career is defined by his career with clubs in Moscow. He played for Torpedo Moscow (1960-1968) and Spartak Moscow (1969-1971). |
| Anzor Kavazashvili |
Gabelia spent his club career at FC Dinamo Zugdidi, playing from 1970 to 1971, at FC Dinamo Sokhumi, from 1972 to 1973, at FC Torpedo Kutaisi, from 1974 to 1976 and from 1983 to 1984, at FC Dinamo Tbilisi, from 1977 to 1982 and from 1985 to 1989. In 1981 he won UEFA Cup Winners Cup, which was the biggest achievement of his sport career with Dinamo Tbilisi.
GK: Sergo Kotrikadze (Soviet Union)
Sergo Kotrikadze played for FC Dinamo Tbilisi (1955 to 1968) and FC Torpedo Kutaisi (1968-1969). He was voted Best goalkeeper in the USSR in 1962. For the national team, he earned 2 caps. In 1962, as part of the USSR national team, he went to the World Cup in Chile , where he did not play a single match, and the national team reached the quarterfinals.
Sergo Kotrikadze played for FC Dinamo Tbilisi (1955 to 1968) and FC Torpedo Kutaisi (1968-1969). He was voted Best goalkeeper in the USSR in 1962. For the national team, he earned 2 caps. In 1962, as part of the USSR national team, he went to the World Cup in Chile , where he did not play a single match, and the national team reached the quarterfinals.
RB: Revaz Dzodzuashvili (Soviet Union)
Revaz Dzodzuashvili earned 49 caps for the USSR, and participated in the 1970 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 1972. He was named in the team of the tournament in Euro 1972, where the Soviets finished second. He also earned a bronze medal in football at the 1972 Summer Olympics. For his club career, he played mainly for Torpedo Kutaisi and Dinamo Tbilisi.
RB: Givi Chokheli (Soviet Union)
Chokheli started his career with FC Kakheti Telavi, but played most of his career for Dinamo Tbilisi. He had 20 caps with the national team during the 1960's where The Soviet back line was anchored by the famous trio of Chokheli, Anatoli Maslyonkin, and Anatoly Krutikov. in the early 1960s. He was a participant at the 1962 FIFA World Cup and at the 1960 European Championship, where the Soviet Union won.
Aleksandre Chivadze is from Soviet Georgia. He spent his entire club career at FC Dinamo Tbilisi, playing from 1974 to 1987. He was a part of the great Dinamo Tbilisi side that won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1981 which put Georgia's football on the map. At the international level. He earned 46 caps for the USSR and was included in the squads of the 1982 and 1986 World Cups. He was the captain of the 1982 World Cup team. He was Soviet Footballer of the Year in 1980.
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| Aleksandre Chivadze |
CB: Kakhaber Tskhadadze (Soviet Union Youth/CIS/Georgia)
Tskhadadze's club career started in 1986 in Dinamo Tbilisi. He became known in Western Europe with Eintracht Frankfurt, who he joined in 1992. He also played for many clubs such as Spartek Moscow, Dynamo Moscow, Manchester City, Lokomotiv Tbilisi and Anzhi Makhachkala. In 1992, he earned 6 caps for CIS, including one appearance at Euro 92. He played 25 times for Georgia, captaining the side.
CB: Zurab Khizanishvili (Georgia)
Khizanishvili started his career at Dinamo Tbilisi where he remained for just one season in 1998, before joining FC Tbilisi. He later played in Scotland for Dundee, in England for Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United and Reading and in Turkey for Kayserispor. He played 93 matches for Georgia between 1999 and 2015, the second highest record.
CB: Murtaz Khurtsilava (Soviet Union)
Murtaz Khurtsilava was part of the USSR that finished second in the 1972 UEFA European Championship, third at the 1972 Summer Olympics and fourth at the 1966 FIFA World Cup. He was also one of only two Georgians, alongside Alexandre Chivadze, to have captained the Soviet team. He was selected as tGeorgia's UEFA's Jubilee player in 2003 as their most outstanding player of the past 50 years. At the club level he played for FC Dynamo Tbilisi between 1961 and 1975.
Murtaz Khurtsilava was part of the USSR that finished second in the 1972 UEFA European Championship, third at the 1972 Summer Olympics and fourth at the 1966 FIFA World Cup. He was also one of only two Georgians, alongside Alexandre Chivadze, to have captained the Soviet team. He was selected as tGeorgia's UEFA's Jubilee player in 2003 as their most outstanding player of the past 50 years. At the club level he played for FC Dynamo Tbilisi between 1961 and 1975.
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| Murtaz Khurtsilava |
LB: Levan Kobiashvili (Georgia)
During his career, Levan played for Gorda Rustavi, Dinamo Tbilisi, Alania Vladikavkaz and three German clubs: SC Freiburg (1998 to 2003), Schalke 04 (2003 to 2010) and Hertha BSC (2010 to 2014). Kobiashvili earned 100 caps. He also captained the national team for 16 times and has scored 12 goals during his international career. He was named twice Georgian Footballer of the Year, in 2000 and 2005.
During his career, Levan played for Gorda Rustavi, Dinamo Tbilisi, Alania Vladikavkaz and three German clubs: SC Freiburg (1998 to 2003), Schalke 04 (2003 to 2010) and Hertha BSC (2010 to 2014). Kobiashvili earned 100 caps. He also captained the national team for 16 times and has scored 12 goals during his international career. He was named twice Georgian Footballer of the Year, in 2000 and 2005.
LB: Kakha Kaladze (Georgia)
Kakha Kaladze started with Dinamo Tbilisi. He was also a part of Dynmamo Kyiv that dominated the domestic league and reached the semifinal of the Champions' league in the 1990's with Andriy Shevchenko. He also played for AC Milan, where he won two Champions' League in 2003 and 2007. He was Georgian Player of the Year for 5 times. His brother was kidnapped in a high-profile case in 2001 and officially declared dead in 2006.
Kakha Kaladze started with Dinamo Tbilisi. He was also a part of Dynmamo Kyiv that dominated the domestic league and reached the semifinal of the Champions' league in the 1990's with Andriy Shevchenko. He also played for AC Milan, where he won two Champions' League in 2003 and 2007. He was Georgian Player of the Year for 5 times. His brother was kidnapped in a high-profile case in 2001 and officially declared dead in 2006.
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| Kakha Kaladze |
DM/SW: Tengiz Sulakvelidze (Soviet Union)
Sulakvelidze started his career in FC Kutaisi Torpedo. In 1978 he moved to Dinamo Tbilisi , in which he became the champion of the USSR in 1978 , the winner of the USSR Cup in 1979, the winner of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1980/81. He made his debut for USSR in 1980 in a friendly against Bulgaria. He went on to play in the 1982 World Cup and Euro 1988. He scored a goal in a UEFA Euro 1988 qualifier against Iceland.
CM: Vitaly Daraselia (Geogria)
From 1975 to 1982, Daraselia played for FC Dinamo Tbilisi. He scored a winning goal for FC Dinamo Tbilisi in 1981, in the final game of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, rushing into the penalty area past two defenders, just 3 minutes before the full-time whistle. Between 1978 and1982, he was capped 22 times. He went to the 1982 World Cup Finals in Spain. His son Vitaly Junior played 10 times for Georgia.
CM: Manuchar Machaidze (Soviet Union)
From 1967 to 1980, Machaidze played for FC Dinamo Tbilisi. He is the only player in the Georgian football history, who lifted the Soviet Crystal Cup as captain twice. He also played for Pakhtakor Tashkent, Spartak Moscow and Torpedo Kutaisi. He was capped 4 times for the Soviet Union between 1974 and 1979.
AM: David Kipiani (Soviet Union)
David Kipiani was named Soviet Footballer of the Year in 1977. He was a part of the great Dinamo Tobilisi side that won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1981 that put Georgian football on the football map. However, injuries kept him from playing more for the Soviet Union. He also played for Locomotive Tbilisi, where he started his career in 1968. He played for Dinamo Tobilisi from 1971 to 1982. At the international level, he was only capped 19 times between 1974 and 1981.
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| David Kipiani |
AM/RW/RM: Temuri Ketsbaia (Georgia)
Ketsbaia started his career with Dinamo Tbilisi in 1987. He later played for Anorthosis, AEK Athens, Newcastle United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Dundee. He was considered to be a cult hero with Newcastle. From 1990 to 2003, he played 52 times for Georgia.
LW: Mikheil Meskhi (Soviet Union)
Nicknamed the "Georgian Garrincha". He earned 35 caps for the USSR and participated in the 1962 World Cup. He also appeared on the Soviet squad for the first ever European Nations' Cup in 1960, which the Soviets won. In 1998, Meskhi was voted the best player in the history of Georgian football. During his career he played for Dynamo Tbilisi (1954-1969) and Lokomotiv Tbilisi (1970).
AM: Georgi Kinkladze (Georgia)
Georgi Kinkladze was one of the first star players for Georgia after its independence.He was capped 57 times for Georgia. In Georgia he won three league titles and two cups with Dinamo Tbilisi, and was named national player of the year twice. He is best remembered for his stint with Manchester City, where he starred for three seasons. He also played for Ajax, Derby, etc.
SS/FW: Boris Paichadze (Soviet Union)
Boris Paihadze is considered to be the greatest ever player from Georgia. He played his entire career with Dinamo Tbilisi between 1936 and 1951, but part of it was interrupted by the Great War. He made his debut in Soviet Top League in 1936, being able to score 13 goals in 12 games. He was top scorer of Soviet Top League in 1937 season.The largest stadium in Georgia, the Boris Paichadze Stadium in Tbilisi, is named after him.
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| Boris Paichadze |
ST: Givi Nodia (Soviet Union)
Nodia played 21 times for USSR. He was selected for the Euro 1968 squad, but did not play in any games at the tournament. He played at the 1970 World Cup, making history as the first player in World Cup history to receive a yellow card. He also played at Euro 1972, where USSR were the runners-up. For his club career, he started with Torpedo Kutaisi. Then, he played for Dinamo Tbilisi between 1967 and 1975, and Lokomotiv Moscow between 1976 and 1978.
ST: Shota Arveladze (Georgia)
Shota Arveladze played at Dinamo Tbilisi, Trabzonspor, and Ajax, and finished at least one season as the top goal scorer at all three. He also played for Ranger, AZ and Levante. His 27 goals scored in the UEFA Cup competition ranks him 5th in the tournament's history. He is also Georgian Footballer of the Year: 1994, 1998, 2007, and Turkish Footballer of the Year: 1994. From 1992 to 2007, he played 61 times for Georgia. He is their all-time leading scorer.
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| Shota Arveladze |
ST/RW: Slava Metreveli (Soviet Union)
Slava Metreveli played for Soviet Union for 48 times, and was a participant at the 1962 FIFA World Cup, 1966 FIFA World Cup, 1970 FIFA World Cup and at the 1960 UEFA European Football Championship, where the Soviet Union won the gold medal. In the latter, he scored in the final against Yugoslavia as they won 2-1. Metreveli played most of his career for Torpedo Moscow (1956–1962) and Dinamo Tbilisi (1963–1971).
ST/RW: Ramaz Shengelia (Soviet Union)
Ramaz Shengelia was capped 26 times by USSR between 1979 and 1983. He went to play in the 1982 World Cup Finals in Spain, where he scored a goal against Scotland. He was named Soviet Footballer of the Year in 1981. He was a part of the great Dinamo Tbilisi side that won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1981. He started his career with Torpedo Kutaisi. He then played Dinamo Tbilisi from 1977 to 1988.
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| Ramaz Shengelia |
Honorable Mention
Giorgi Lomaia, Vladimir Gutsaev, David Gogia, Ramaz Urushadze, Vladimer Margania, Gaioz Jejelava, Shota Yamanidze, Giorgi Sichinava, Vladimer Barkaia, Tamaz Kostava, Shota Khinchagashvili, Giorgi Antadze, Zaur Kaloev, Georgi Tavadze, Nodar Khizanishvili, Avtandil Chkuaseli, Viktor Getmanov, Vakhtang Koridze, Levan Mchedlidze, Avtandil Gogoberidze, Vladimir Gutsaev, Kakhi Asatiani, Aleksandr Iashvili.
Squad Explanation
-- The Soviet-era players are based on ethnicity and birthplace. The post-Soviet Union players are based on the national team.
-- The Soviet-era players are based on ethnicity and birthplace. The post-Soviet Union players are based on the national team.
-- Georgia is the best footballing Soviet republic after Ukraine and Russia in the former Soviet Union. However, it has not qualified for any major tournament since gaining independence. At the time of writing, they have just qualified for the playoff for the European Championship in 2021.
-- In 1956, Soviet Union entered its first World Cup Finals without a single Georgian. Four years later, Georgians consisted 18% of the team in Chile. By the end of Soviet Union, twenty-one players from Georgia had gone to the World Cup Finals. Georgians are the third largest ethnic group behind the Russians and Ukrainians in the history of the national team.
-- In 1982, Alexander Chivadze went to the World Cup as the Soviet captain alongside Vitaly Daraselia, Tengiz Sulakvelidze and Ramaz Shengelia. David Kipiani who was a star in the USSR was controversially left off the team.
-- Revaz Dzodzuashvili, Aleksandre Chivadze and Murtaz Khurtsilava are on my All-Time Soviet Union team. David Kipiani and Mikheil Meskhi were controversially left off that team. I admitted that their omission might be mistakes.
-- Three Georgian players Mikheil Meskhi, Slava Metreveli and Givi Chokheli were on the Soviet team that won the 1960 European Championship. Slava Metreveli equalized the score at the beginning of the second half, and Mikheil Meskhi assisted on Viktor Ponedelnik's winning goal.
-- Murtaz Khurtsilava and Revaz Dzodzuashvili played on the 1972 team that finished second. Khurtsilava was the team captain.
-- Only seven players on this team have played for Georgia, including Kakhaber Tskhadadze who played for the Soviet Union, CIS and Georgia. The rest of them are from the Soviet era.
-- I selected a lot of players from the Dinamo Tobilisi side that won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1981. I believe that side put Georgia on the football map and introduce the world of football to the Soviet Union outside of Russia and Ukraine. Aleksandre Chivadze, Tengiz Sulakvelidze, Otar Gabelia, Vitaly Daraselia, Vladimir Gutsaev and Ramaz Shengelia came from the 1981 team.
-- In the 1990's, Manchester City featured Mikheil Kavelashvili, Kakhaber Tskhadadze, Murtaz Shelia and Georgi Kinkladze on their team. They were among the first group of Georgians to play outside the Warsaw Pact.
Goalkeepers
--Anzor Kavazashvili is the obvious choice for goalkeeper. I found a Russian source that ranked him as the fifth greatest ever Soviet goalkeepers. He was the starting goalkeeper for Dinamo Tbilisi before Ramaz Urushadze and Sergio Kotrikadze. All three goalkeepers played in the 1960's when Lev Yashin was in his prime. Urushadze replaced Kotrikadze on the lineup as Dinamo Tbilisi's starting goalkeeper, but Kotrikadze seemed to be more famous. So I took him. and put Urushadze on honorable mention. Meanwhile, Otar Gabelia made the team for his contribution to Dinamo Tobilisi winning the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1981.
-- I came upon a goalkeeper named David Gogia on my research, but I found nothing on him in English. I put him as honorable mention for now. I also researched on Vladimer Margania.
Defenders
-- On the right, I selected two players who went to major tournaments. Revaz Dzodzuashvili played on the 1972 team where he was named in the Team of the Tournament. Givi Chokheli was a part of Soviet's famous backline in the 1960's. He went to the 1960 European championship and 1962 World Cup Finals. |
| Revaz Dzodzuashvili |
--
For centerbacks, both Aleksandre Chivadze and Murtaz Khurtsilava were
the only Georgians ever to captain the Soviet national team. They were
the obvious choices. Then, I took Zurab Khizanishvili who is second in
Georgia's appearance record. Then, I went for
Kakhaber Tskhadadze who played well in the Bundesliga for a few
seasons. I have no more space for CB/RB Viktor Getmanov from the 1966
World Cup.
-- Murtaz
Khurtsilava was
selected as Georgia's UEFA's Jubilee player in 2003. He was one of Soviet Union's greatest defenders.
-- Nodar
Khizanishvili and Zurab Khizanishvili are father and son. Nodar made
honorable mention. He was capped once by the Soviet Union.
-- Akhrik Tsveiba chose to play for Ukraine and Russia. I rule him ineligible.
Midfielders/Wingers
-- Many experts considered Mikheil Meskhi as one of the greatest ever wingers ever from the Soviet Union. I controversially left him off the Soviet Union All-Time team. The Mikkeil Meskhi stadium is the second largest stadium in Georgia.
-- David Kipiani was one of the greatest players ever from Georgia. He was named Soviet Footballer of the Year in 1977. Of course, being an all-timer with Dinamo Tobilisi made him an obvious choice for this team. He was left off the 1982 World Cup team.
-- Manuchar Machaidze is Dinamo Tbilisi's most decorated captain. He is the only player in the Georgian football history, who lifted the Soviet Crystal Cup as captain twice.
-- Georgi Kinkladze was one of the first Soviet player to make a name in the West after the breakup of the USSR. He was named Manchester City Player of the Year twice. He did end up in the First Division with the club.
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| Georgi Kinkladze |
-- Instead, I took Vitaly Daraselia. He scored the winning goal at the 1981 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Final that gave Dinamo Tobilisi its greatest victory. He beat two defenders before scoring that goal. He also played in the 1982 WC Finals for the USSR. . He
helped to put Geogria on the football map. He died shortly after the World Cup Finals in a car
accident. His son Vitaly Junior was capped 10 times by Georgia. He also played for Dinamo Tobilisi.
-- Tengiz Sulakvelidze went to the 1982 World Cup Finals as well as the European championship in 1988. He was a defensive midfielders.
-- In 2022, I started to look into Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. In time, he might become the greatest Georgian player of all-time. At this moment, he needs to do more before I even add him to honorable mention.
Forwards
-- Ramaz
Shengelia was the obvious choice for attackers. He won the Soviet
Player of the Year twice and only Oleg Blohkin won more titles. He was
tied with three other players.
-- The largest stadium in Georgia, the Boris Paichadze Stadium in Tbilisi, is named after him. That said how much respect he had in Georgia. He was uncapped as far as I know.
-- Slava Metreveli who was born in Russia was an ethnic Georgian. He played for FC Dinamo Tbilisi. One website listed him one of the Soviet Union's greatest footballers.
-- Shota Arveladze is the all-time leading scorer for Georgia. He played briefly with his childhood friend Georgi Kinkladze at Ajax. I decided to take a modern player from independent Georgia over Avtandil Gogoberidze from the 1950's. The other strikers considered included Revaz Chelebadze and Zaur Kaloev.
-- I also left out ST/RW: Vladimir Gutsaev who was the hero of the 1981 Cup Winners Cup team. Instead, I selected Givi Nodia who played on the 1972 European championship team.
Starting Lineup
Formation: 4-3-3
The starting lineup still mainly consisted of ex-Soviet players. Kakha Kaladze is the only non-Soviet starter.
