The story of two "number 7s" at EURO 2024

Fans came to the Veltins-Arena to see Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo make history, but they left after seeing Georgia's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia make history. The Napoli star was cheered on by more than 15,000 home fans and led his country to the group stage in his first appearance.

It will be a match that will live long in the memory of Kvaratskhelia, who scored the first goal in a 2-0 win over Portugal. The 74th-ranked team in the FIFA rankings somehow managed to beat the sixth-ranked giants.

Nearly 10 minutes after the final whistle, some Georgia players still could not believe the result. They temporarily forgot that their next opponent was Spain and joined in the joy with the fans.

Georgia created a fairy tale against Portugal. Photo: UEFA

Georgia may have lost their opening game to Türkiye but they still won the hearts of many with an energetic performance. They continued that style of play to hold the Czech Republic to a draw, setting the stage for a historic night against Portugal.

Kvaratskhelia, a former Serie A champion with Napoli, is one of the best wingers in Europe. When the ball is at his feet, the 23-year-old can create magical moments. Indeed, it took him just 92 seconds to open the scoring against Portugal, finishing well from Georges Mikautadze's pass. It was also the earliest goal Portugal have conceded in the history of the EUROs.

Ronaldo, meanwhile, did not start and only came on for Goncalo Ramos in the 66th minute of the match. Ronaldo, now 39, only needs one goal to become the oldest player to score at EURO. CR7 is already the top scorer (14) and top assist provider (8) in the history of the tournament, but the next record will have to wait.

For the first time Ronaldo failed to score in the group stage of a major tournament, ending an incredible run that began at EURO 2004.

Kvaratskhelia was named man of the match. Photo: UEFA — Kvaratskhelia was named Man of the Match. Photo: UEFA

Kvaratskhelia, who was named UEFA's Man of the Match in the Georgia-Portugal match, said at a press conference: "I got Ronaldo's shirt and we've qualified for the next round. This is the best day in the life of Georgian football fans. We made history, no one believed we could do it. No one believed we could beat Portugal but that's why we are a strong team."

"Before the game, I had a meeting with Ronaldo and he wished me success. I never imagined he would come and talk to me. He is a great player and a great person. When he comes to talk to you before the game, it's amazing. That helped us believe that we could do it today," the Napoli player added.

As the Portuguese fans left the Veltins-Arena, the Napoli shirts mixed with the red and white Georgia shirts became more distinct. The chant of "Khvicha" has now become one of the most memorable moments at EURO 2024.

It is not known how far Kvaratskhelia and her teammates will go, but this is certainly an unforgettable journey for them...

Source: https://laodong.vn/bong-da-quoc-te/cau-chuyen-ve-hai-so-7-tai-euro-2024-1358236.ldo