Who is the most famous Georgian footballer?

Today it's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, the winger who won Serie A with Napoli and the Champions League with PSG and captains Georgia. Historically, Boris Paichadze was voted Georgia's footballer of the 20th century, and Tbilisi's national stadium carries his name.

Why is Georgia so good at chess?

Georgia produced back-to-back Women's World Champions — Nona Gaprindashvili (1962–1978) and Maia Chiburdanidze (1978–1991) — so the title stayed in Georgia for nearly three decades, building one of the world's strongest chess cultures.

Which Olympic sports is Georgia known for?

Wrestling, judo and weightlifting above all — with champions like Lasha Talakhadze (weightlifting), Lasha Bekauri and Zurab Zviadauri (judo) and Geno Petriashvili (wrestling), plus NBA champion Zaza Pachulia and rugby icon Mamuka Gorgodze.

Sport · Georgia

Sport in Georgia

Georgia punches far above its size in sport — from a women's chess dynasty that held the world title for decades to Olympic wrestling and judo champions, NBA and rugby stars, and a golden generation of footballers led by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Switch century to see who defined each era.

Football

Kakha Kaladze

b. 1978

Champions League–winning defender with AC Milan; later elected Mayor of Tbilisi.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

b. 2001

Star winger — a Serie A title with Napoli, the Champions League with PSG, and captain of Georgia. From Tbilisi.

Giorgi Mamardashvili

b. 2000

Goalkeeper at Liverpool and Georgia's number one.

Georges Mikautadze

b. 2000

Forward and joint top scorer at UEFA Euro 2024 — Georgia's first-ever major tournament.

Chess

Nana Dzagnidze

b. 1987

Grandmaster and European Women's Champion — a mainstay of the modern Georgian team.

Baadur Jobava

b. 1983

Georgia's leading male grandmaster, known worldwide for a creative, attacking style.

Olympic & other sport

Lasha Talakhadze

b. 1993

Super-heavyweight weightlifter, double Olympic champion and world-record holder — often called the strongest lifter in history.

Lasha Bekauri

b. 2000

Judoka with back-to-back Olympic golds (Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024).

Geno Petriashvili

b. 1994

Freestyle wrestler and Olympic champion at Paris 2024.

Zaza Pachulia

b. 1984

The first Georgian NBA star — a two-time NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors. From Tbilisi.

Mamuka Gorgodze

b. 1984

Georgia's most iconic rugby player, nicknamed 'Gorgodzilla', a Rugby World Cup regular.

Ilia Topuria

b. 1997

UFC champion ('El Matador') with deep Georgian roots.

Note: Born in Halle, Germany to Georgian parents and raised partly in Georgia; competes for Spain.

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Sport in Georgia, answered

Who is the most famous Georgian footballer?: Today it's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, the winger who won Serie A with Napoli and the Champions League with PSG and captains Georgia. Historically, Boris Paichadze was voted Georgia's footballer of the 20th century, and Tbilisi's national stadium carries his name.
Why is Georgia so good at chess?: Georgia produced back-to-back Women's World Champions — Nona Gaprindashvili (1962–1978) and Maia Chiburdanidze (1978–1991) — so the title stayed in Georgia for nearly three decades, building one of the world's strongest chess cultures.
Which Olympic sports is Georgia known for?: Wrestling, judo and weightlifting above all — with champions like Lasha Talakhadze (weightlifting), Lasha Bekauri and Zurab Zviadauri (judo) and Geno Petriashvili (wrestling), plus NBA champion Zaza Pachulia and rugby icon Mamuka Gorgodze.