Georgian oligarch Bidzina Ivanichvili, considered the shadow leader, will donate more than $10 million to the national football team, which qualified for the round of 16 of Euro 2024 on Wednesday, his political party announced on Thursday.
The players of that small Caucasus country defeated Portugal 2-0 on Wednesday, a historic victory in their first major international competition.
The team led by the Frenchman Willy Sagnol will face one of the tournament favorites on Sunday, Spainthree-time European champion.
Whatever the outcome in that match, the ruling party in Georgia announced that its honorary president would grant the team a reward of US$10.7 million.
The amount would double if Georgia eliminates Spain on Sunday and qualifies for the quarterfinals.
Bidzina Ivanichvili, the richest man in the former Soviet republic, has quietly presided over Georgia’s destiny for a decade, although he does not hold any government office.
His fortune is estimated at US$4.9 billion, which represents almost a quarter of the country’s GDP.
The 68-year-old was prime minister from 2012 to 2013, after having founded a political party that has in recent years taken a conservative and anti-Western turn.
His critics accuse him of wanting to divert Georgia, a candidate to join the European Union, from its path towards the West to bring it closer to Russia’s orbit.
Source: Gestion
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