Georgia players are in line for a surprise payday at Euro 2024 after a billionaire former prime minister promised to pay more than $10 million following their surprise victory over Portugal.
The Georgian team can double their money with another win over Spain on Sunday in the round of 16.
Bidzina Ivanishvili, who founded the ruling Georgian Dream party and is now its honorary president, initially offered the payment of 30 million Georgian lari ($10.7 million) before the tournament on the condition that Georgia reached the knockout stages.
They did so after goals from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Georges Mikautadze gave Georgia a 2-0 victory over a Portugal team led by Cristiano Ronaldo on Wednesday in one of the biggest upsets at any European Championship.
Ivanishvili confirmed the bonus in a statement broadcast by Imedi TV on Thursday and said an equally large sum would be paid to the team if Georgia beats Spain.
The statement said Ivanishvili “congratulates the Georgian football team on its greatest victory.”
Georgia is participating in a major international football tournament for the first time and was not expected to advance beyond the group stage in Germany.
Ivanishvili, 68, is a big football fan and has attended some of the team's matches in Germany. Ivanishvili, whose fortune Forbes estimates at $4.9 billion in 2023, also holds French and Russian passports. One of his sons, Bera, is a famous rapper in Georgia.
Information from Julien Laurens contributed to this report.
