Euro 2024: Former Georgia PM Pledges $10 Million For History-Making Football Team
Date
6/27/2024 2:59:15 PM
(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)
Published: Thu 27 Jun 2024, 6:17 PM
The founder of Georgia's ruling party, billionaire former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, said on Thursday he would donate 30 million lari ($10.7 million) to the national football team after they upset Portugal to qualify for the Euro 2024 last 16.
In a statement, his Georgian Dream party said Ivanishvili congratulated the team and pledged the money from his charitable foundation in recognition of what he called a "historic and dream victory".
Ivanishvili, who is worth $4.9 billion, pledged a further 30 million lari if Georgia beat Spain in the last 16 on Sunday.
Georgia arrived at Euro 2024 with no expectations, manager Willy Sagnol said, having already celebrated what they thought would be their biggest achievement in just qualifying.
Sagnol's men upended Portugal - a team ranked 68 places above them - 2-0 on Wednesday to roar into the knock-out round in their major tournament debut, thanks to goals from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Georges Mikautadze.
There are benefits to being tournament underdogs, Sagnol said.
“When you're the small team, you know you have nothing to lose,” the Frenchman said.“The only thing we said before the competition is whatever happened, we don't want any regrets after the competition, the regret of maybe not having played our football or maybe not having enjoyed the competition as much as we should have done.
“So, you have no weight on your shoulders. It's difficult when you're France, when you're England, when you're Spain, when you're Portugal, because you're under pressure, because people expect you to win.”
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