After sweet taste of big time, Georgia want more

After their sensational big tournament debut, Euro 2024's  lowest-ranked team Georgia were packing their bags with no regrets and only one thought in mind: how to do it all again.

The Georgians were seen in advance by most football pundits as no-hopers making up the numbers in Germany.

Yet guided by canny French coach Willy Sagnol and inspired by tricky-dribbling talisman Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, they shocked opponents with a simple formula of old-school defending and rampaging counter-attacks. "The Crusaders" even beat Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal en route to the knockouts.

Then in a last-16 defeat to Spain, they gave the watching world a jaw-dropping moment, taking the lead with the only goal their illustrious opponents have let in at these Euros.

"Everyone will want only one thing: to come back," said a proud Sagnol, who had already declared his team the real "winners" of the tournament after the Portugal win.

"We will try our best to come back in a major competition. Playing against the best players, the best teams, in great stadiums, in great atmosphere, and to give the opportunity to a lot of Georgian fans to come here."

All of Georgia's games were thrillers.

In their group opener, they were unlucky not to draw with Turkey, coming so close to an equaliser before succumbing to a last-gasp goal against the run of play in a 3-1 loss. And against the Czech Republic, Saba Lobjanidze should have won it at the death, blazing over to leave the score at 1-1.

As well as on the pitch, Georgia won admiration for their legions of white-and-red clad fans, whose ubiquitous St. George's cross flag was sometimes confused with England's. 

The team's magnificent performances brought thousands onto the streets of the capital Tbilisi and eclipsed bitter disputes between a Georgian government that has deepened ties to Russia, and a more pro-Western opposition.