Billionaire Promises Georgia $10 Million for Reaching Round of 16

• Former Georgian prime minister Bidzina Ivanishvili has promised to reward the national team for reaching Euro 2024 Round of 16
• Georgia caused a major upset in the tournament, defeating heavyweights Portugal to reach the knockout round for the first time
• Ivanishvili has also promised the Georgian team more money if they defeat Spain to qualify for the quarter-finals in the competition

Georgia’s national football team are reaping their reward already for reaching the knockout rounds of the 2024 European Championship in the first time of asking.

Two days after producing one of the biggest upsets in Euro 2024 by defeating Portugal, the team appears set to receive a substantial monetary reward from one of its country’s billionaires.

According to Sports Illustrated, former Georgian prime minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, who is a post-Soviet privatization-era billionaire, intends to gift members of the national soccer $10.7 million for reaching the Round of 16.

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Ivanishvili has also promised to double the money if Georgia defies the odds again and beats Spain in their Round of 16 clash to progress to the quarter-finals.

Georgia is participating in a major football tournament for the first time and was not expected to progress beyond the group stage in Germany.

Kvaratskhelia better than the Spain team

Meanwhile, Georgia star and goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili says teammate and Napoli star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is “better than all of Spain” ahead of their last-16 Euro 2024 tie, GOAL reports.

The 23-year-old forward starred in his side’s shock 2-0 win over Portugal and while the Valencia goalie is wary of Spain’s pedigree, he still believes in his team.

Georgia are preparing for the biggest game in the country’s footballing history against the might of Spain with superstars like Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, and Alvaro Morata.

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Georgia makes history at Euro 2024

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Georgia are through to the last 16 of Euro 2024 after its 2-0 win over Portugal, a historic triumph in the former Soviet Republic’s first appearance at a major international tournament.

Kvaratskhelia gave Georgia a shock lead against a second-string Portugal team with just over a minute on the clock in Gelsenkirchen.

Georges Mikautadze then ensured Georgia would claim the biggest football victory in the Black Sea nation’s history with a 57th-minute penalty.