When the Georgia men’s football team takes on Spain in the European championship round of 16 on June 30, there’s no doubt who will be the underdogs. Spain are European football royalty, featuring some of the most famous, highly paid and successful players in the world. Georgia, on the other hand, 33 years after independence, are competing in their first major international tournament.
But, despite being the lowest-ranked team in the tournament, Georgia have proved they are no pushover. They have produced some eye-catching performances belying their lowly status, scoring in all three fixtures so far and progressing from Group F following a 2-0 victory over Portugal, another highly regarded footballing nation.
But the positivity surrounding the greatest result in Georgia’s footballing history to date contrasts sharply with a political crisis that is dividing the country. The passing of a controversial new “foreign agent” law in May has sparked some of the largest protests and police crackdowns in Georgia’s modern history, marring the build-up to their highly anticipated tournament debut.
