Giorgi Tsitaishvili Explained

Giorgi Tsitaishvili
Upright:0.7
Birth Date:18 November 2000
Birth Place:Rishon LeZion, Israel
Height:1.71 m
Position:Winger
Currentclub:Granada
(on loan from Dynamo Kyiv)
Youthyears1:2012–2018
Youthclubs1:Dynamo Kyiv
Years1:2018–
Clubs1:Dynamo Kyiv
Caps1:19
Goals1:0
Years2:2021
Clubs2:Vorskla Poltava (loan)
Caps2:4
Goals2:1
Years3:2021–2022
Clubs3:Chornomorets Odesa (loan)
Caps3:13
Goals3:1
Years4:2022
Clubs4:Wisła Kraków (loan)
Caps4:7
Goals4:1
Years5:2022–2023
Clubs5:Lech Poznań (loan)
Caps5:12
Goals5:1
Years6:2022–2023
Clubs6:Lech Poznań II (loan)
Caps6:5
Goals6:0
Years7:2023–2024
Clubs7:Dinamo Batumi (loan)
Caps7:34
Goals7:5
Years8:2024–
Clubs8:Granada (loan)
Caps8:0
Goals8:0
Nationalyears1:2017
Nationalteam1:Ukraine U17
Nationalcaps1:2
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2018
Nationalteam2:Ukraine U18
Nationalcaps2:2
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalyears3:2018–2019
Nationalteam3:Ukraine U19
Nationalcaps3:12
Nationalgoals3:5
Nationalyears4:2019
Nationalteam4:Ukraine U20
Nationalcaps4:5
Nationalgoals4:1
Nationalyears5:2019–2020
Nationalteam5:Ukraine U21
Nationalcaps5:8
Nationalgoals5:2
Nationalyears6:2023
Nationalteam6:Georgia U21
Nationalcaps6:4
Nationalgoals6:1
Nationalyears7:2021–
Nationalteam7:Georgia
Nationalcaps7:19
Nationalgoals7:1
Club-Update:1 June 2024
Nationalteam-Update:22 June 2024

Giorgi Tsitaishvili (Ukrainian: Георгій Климентійович Цітаїшвілі|translit=Heorhii Klymentiiovych Tsitaishvili; Georgian: გიორგი წიტაიშვილი; born 18 November 2000) is a professional footballer who plays as a winger for club Granada, on loan from Ukrainian Premier League club Dynamo Kyiv. Born in Israel, he plays for the Georgia national team.

Early life

Tsitaishvili, who is Georgian of Ukrainian descent through his grandmother,[1] was born in Rishon LeZion, Israel. At the time, his father, Klimenti Tsitaishvili, was a footballer playing for Hapoel Rishon LeZion. He is a product of the Dynamo Kyiv youth sportive school.[2]

Club career

Dynamo Kyiv

Tsitaishvili made his debut for Dynamo in the 2018 Ukrainian Cup Final on 9 May 2018, playing in a match against Shaktar Donetsk.[3] The following season he made his European debut, when he came on as a substitute in Dynamo's 1–0 away loss to FK Jablonec in the UEFA Europa League.

Loan spells in Ukraine

On 20 December 2020, the manager of Vorskla Poltava, Yuriy Maksymov, announced that Tsitaishvili would be joining his club on a temporary basis.[4]

In July 2021, he moved on loan to Chornomorets Odesa.[5] On 25 July 2021, he made his league debut for Chornomorets in a 3–0 away loss against Desna Chernihiv at the Chernihiv Stadium.[6]

Loan spells in Poland

On 7 March 2022, following the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, FIFA announced all the contracts of foreign players in Ukraine would be suspended until 30 June 2022 and they are allowed to sign with clubs outside Ukraine until 30 June 2022.[7] On 6 April 2022, Tsitaishvili moved to Polish Ekstraklasa side Wisła Kraków on a loan until the end of the season.[8] He appeared in seven league games, scoring one goal, before leaving the relegated team on 7 June 2022.

In late June, he left Dynamo's pre-season camp to return to Poland and join defending champions Lech Poznań on a one-year loan spell.[9] On 9 July 2022, he made his competitive debut for Lech as a starter in a 2–0 Polish Super Cup loss against Raków Częstochowa.[10]

Loan to Dinamo Batumi

In early July 2023, Erovnuli Liga club Dinamo Batumi announced signing Tsitaishvili on a year-long loan deal.[11] He made a debut with Dinamo in a UEFA Europa Conference League game against Tirana on 13 July 2023.[12] Later the same year, the player won the league title with this club.

Loan to Granada

On 26 July 2024, Tsitaishvili joined Spanish Segunda División side Granada on a one-year loan deal.[13]

International career

Tsitaishvili was part of the Ukraine national under-20 football team that won the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup. He played in five of his team's seven matches in the tournament, and scored a goal in the final against South Korea.

At senior level, he switched his allegiance to Georgia. He made his debut for the Georgia national team on 2 September 2021 in a World Cup qualifier against Kosovo, starting and playing the full match in a 1–0 home loss.[14]

Tsitaishvili participated in all four matches of the 2023 European U21 Championship, co-hosted by Georgia. He came off the bench and scored after six minutes against Belgium in a dramatic 2–2 draw.[15]

Tsitaishvili also took part in both of Georgia's UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying play-off, helping the team qualify for their first major competition. Two months later, he received a call-up for Georgia's squad for the final tournament.[16]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCupContinentalOtherTotal
LeagueAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Dynamo Kyiv2017–18Ukrainian Premier League0010000010
2018–19Ukrainian Premier League5000100060
2019–20Ukrainian Premier League100101010130
2020–21Ukrainian Premier League4000000040
Total190202010240
Vorskla Poltava (loan) 2020–21Ukrainian Premier League41000041
Chornomorets Odesa (loan)2021–22Ukrainian Premier League1312000151
Wisła Kraków (loan)2021–22Ekstraklasa71000071
Lech Poznań (loan)2022–23Ekstraklasa1211010010241
Lech Poznań II (loan)2022–23II liga50000050
Dinamo Batumi (loan)2023Erovnuli Liga174212000215
2024171000000171
Total345212000386
Career total949711402011710

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Georgia202120
2022111
202310
202450
Total191

Scores and results list Georgia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Tsitaishvili goal.

Honours

Dynamo Kyiv

2019–20

2019, 2020

Dynamo Kyiv U19

2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21

Dinamo Batumi

2023

Ukraine U20

2019[17]

Individual

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ua-football.com. uk:"Я нікого не зраджував". Цітаішвілі пояснив зміну громадянства. https://www.ua-football.com/ua/ukrainian/high/1637307565-ya-nikogo-ne-zradzhuvav-citaishvili-poyasniv-zminu-gromadyanstva.html. uk. 19 November 2021.
  2. Web site: FC Dynamo Kyiv Official Site. uk:ГЕОРГІЙ ЦИТАЇШВІЛІ. http://www.fcdynamo.kiev.ua/team/dynamo_u_19/players/tsitaishvili/. uk. 14 December 2018.
  3. Web site: FFU Official Site. uk:КУБОК УКРАЇНИ-2018. «ШАХТАР» ПЕРЕМІГ «ДИНАМО» ТА ЗДОБУВ ТРОФЕЙ УДВАНАДЦЯТЕ. https://ffu.ua/article/33549. uk. 14 December 2018. 14 December 2018. 25 October 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181025150212/https://ffu.ua/article/33549. dead.
  4. Web site: Юрий Максимов: "Ворскла" арендует у "Динамо" Цитаишвили". Ukrainian. 20 December 2020.
  5. Web site: "Динамо» віддало групу гравців в оренду «Чорноморцю". uk. 21 July 2021.
  6. Web site: Desna - Chornomorets . Ukrainian Premier League . 25 July 2021.
  7. Web site: FIFA. FIFA adopts temporary employment and registration rules to address several issues in relation to war in Ukraine. 7 March 2022.
  8. Web site: Georgiy Tsitaishvili piłkarzem Wisły Kraków . . 1 July 2022 . pl . 6 April 2022.
  9. Web site: Gio Tsitaishvili dołącza do Kolejorza . . pl . 1 July 2022.
  10. Web site: Tsitaishvili i Sousa z debiutami . 11 July 2022 . . 16 July 2022 . pl.
  11. Web site: ოფიციალურად: გიორგი წიტაიშვილი "დინამო ბათუმის" ფეხბურთელია . worldsport.ge (in Georgian) . 4 July 2023 . 1 June 2024.
  12. Web site: Tirana vs Dinamo Batumi . uefa.com . 13 July 2023.
  13. Web site: Comunicado Oficial Giorgi Tsitaishvili, nuevo jugador del Granada CF. Official announcement Giorgi Tsitaishvili, new player of Granada CF. Granada CF. es. 26 July 2024. 26 July 2024.
  14. Web site: FIFA. Georgia v Kosovo game report. 2 September 2021.
  15. Web site: 0:2-დან გადარჩენილი ქულა! საქართველო მეოთხედფინალთან ერთ ნაბიჯშია . worldsport.ge (in Georgian) . 23 June 2023 . 1 June 2024.
  16. Web site: საქართველოს ნაკრების შემადგენლობა Euro 2024-ზე ცნობილია . bm.ge . 22 May 2024 . 1 June 2024.
  17. Web site: Spirited comeback earns Ukraine first U-20 title. https://web.archive.org/web/20190615195250/https://www.fifa.com/u20worldcup/news/spirited-comeback-earns-ukraine-first-u-20-title#ukraine-v-korea-republic-final-2019-fifa-u-20-world-cup-x8898 . dead . 15 June 2019 . FIFA.com . Fédération Internationale de Football Association . 15 June 2019.