Khvicha Kvaratskhelia: Napoli's Georgian Phenom in Attack

A landlocked country that sits at the intersection of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, Georgia is home to just 3.7 million, with roughly a third of its population residing in the capital of Tbilisi. The biggest and most successful club in the nation is Dinamo Tbilisi, having won 19 league titles over the past three decades and producing various big-name Georgian footballers such as Temur Ketsbaia, Shota Arveladze, Giorgi Kinkladze, Kakha Kaladze, and Levan Kobiashvili.

It was here in Dinamo Tiblisi that Khvicha Kvaratskhelia began his career, joining the club's academy in 2012 and ascending the ranks before making his professional debut in 2017, moving to Georgian side Rustavi a year later and quickly earning attention throughout Europe, with English newspaper The Guardian naming him as one of the 60 best young players in football in 2018.

This would see him earn a move to Lokomotiv Moscow, joining the Russian side on loan in February 2019 and impressing with his unique technical ability and stellar command of the football. They were unable to agree a permanent deal, however, with fellow Russian side Rubin Kazan swooping in and nailing down his signing on a five-year deal, causing Lokomotiv manager Yury Syomin to lament, “Losing that extremely and talented boy made me cry.”

The Georgian winger began to make a lasting impression in Russia, winning the club's Player of the Month award four times in 2020–21 and racking up 9 goals and 2 assists in 69 appearances, before parting ways with the club in March 2022. FIFA announced that, due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, foreign players in Russia could unilaterally suspend their contracts, prompting Kvaratshkelia to suspend his contract and return to his homeland, joining Dinamo Batumi, where he would score 8 goals and 2 assists in 11 league matches.