Spain vs Georgia facts

Three-time European champions Spain take on UEFA EURO 2024 debutants Georgia in the round of 16 at the Cologne Stadium.

Whereas Spain – who have lifted the trophy twice in the last four editions – are in the knockout rounds for a fifth successive tournament, and seventh time in the last eight, Georgia have enjoyed a memorable first finals appearance to date, sealing their place in the round of 16 with a stunning win against 2016 champions Portugal.

Spain – who beat Georgia twice in qualifying, scoring ten goals – reached the round of 16 as Group B winners, beating Croatia 3-0 and Italy and Albania both 1-0 to become the only side to progress with maximum points. Georgia's first EURO game ended in a 3-1 defeat by Türkiye but they subsequently drew 1-1 against Czechia before goals from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Georges Mikautadze earned a 2-0 win against Portugal and third place in Group F.

The winners of this tie play Germany or Denmark in the quarter-finals in Stuttgart on 5 July.

Previous meetings

Matches 7
Spain wins 6
Georgia wins 1
Draws 0
Spain goals 19
Georgia goals 4

The teams were paired in qualifying, Spain winning 7-1 in Tbilisi and 3-1 in Valladolid on their way to finishing first in Group A.

Álvaro Morata hit a hat-trick (22, 40, 66) at the Boris Paichadze National Stadium on 8 September 2023, a Solomon Kvirkvelia own goal (27) and Dani Olmo (38) putting Spain four up at the break. Although Giorgi Chakvetadze pulled one back for the home side four minutes into the second period, Morata's hat-trick strike restored the three-goal cushion before strikes from substitutes Nico Williams (68) and Lamine Yamal (74) wrapped up an emphatic win – Yamal becoming, aged 16 years 50 days, both Spain's youngest player and scorer.

Spain concluded their EURO 2024 qualifying campaign with a 3-1 home win against Georgia at the Estadio José Zorrilla on 19 November 2023. Robin Le Normand's fourth-minute opener – his first goal for Spain – was cancelled out within six minutes by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia but Ferran Torres restored the home side's lead ten minutes into the second period and a 72nd-minute own goal from Luka Lochoshvili sealed the result.

That made it four successive victories against Georgia for Spain, who had won 2-1 in Tbilisi and 4-0 in Badajoz in 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying. Second-half goals from Torres (56) and Olmo (90+2) overturned Kvaratskhelia's 44th-minute opener in Georgia on 28 March 2021; José Gaya (14), Carlos Soler (25), Torres again (41) and Pablo Sarabia (63) all found the net in Spain on 5 September 2021.

Kvaratskhelia has scored in two of his three appearances against Spain.

Georgia's sole success against Spain came in the teams' only non-competitive match, a friendly at Getafe's Coliseum Alfonso Pérez on 7 June 2016 in which Tornike Okriashvili scored the only goal for the visitors five minutes before half-time.

Spain beat Georgia 1-0 away and 2-0 at home in 2014 World Cup qualifying, Roberto Soldado getting the only goal of the first game and Álvaro Negredo and Juan Mata on target in the second.

EURO facts

Spain

Only Germany, with 14, have participated in more EURO finals than Spain, who have made it through qualification for the nation's 12th appearance at the tournament. They are making their eighth EURO appearance in a row and 11th in the last 12 editions, missing out only in 1992 in that sequence.

Champions in 1964, 2008 and 2012 – the only side to win successive European Championships – Spain were also runners-up in 1984.

Spain and Germany, with three wins each, are the most successful sides in European Championship history.

A side coached by Luis Enrique finished second behind Sweden in Group E at EURO 2020, winning one game and drawing the other two, before edging through knockout ties against Croatia (5-3 aet) and Switzerland (1-1 aet, 3-1 pens). Italy ended their run in another tight contest in the semi-finals, however, prevailing 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

With Luis de la Fuente having replaced Enrique as coach, Spain qualified for EURO 2024 as Group A winners, their only blemish a 2-0 loss in Scotland in their second game. La Roja won their other seven matches to finish four points above the Scots at the top of the table, booking their passage to the finals with a 1-0 win in Norway on 15 October 2023.

The Matchday 3 win against Albania made it five successive victories for Spain. A 1-0 friendly loss against Colombia on 22 March is their sole defeat in their last 15 matches (W12 D2).

Spain have now qualified from the group stage eight times in 11 EURO campaigns – including each of the last five.

Spain are unbeaten in nine EURO finals matches (W5 D4), since a 2-0 loss against Italy in the last 16 of EURO 2016.

La Roja's record in the round of 16 is W1 L1. They lost to Italy in 2016 but were 5-3 extra-time winners against Croatia at EURO 2020.

Spain's sole previous game at the Cologne Stadium was a 2-1 friendly win against Germany in May 1935.

Georgia

Georgia are making their finals debut at EURO 2024 – the only side that have not previously appeared in the tournament.

Willy Sagnol's team are the 36th to feature at a European Championship.

Georgia beat 2004 champions Greece to reach the finals, prevailing 4-2 on penalties in Tbilisi on 26 March after a goalless 120 minutes at the Boris Paichadze National Stadium, Nika Kvekveskiri converting the decisive kick.

The Georgians had overcome Luxembourg 2-0 in the Path C play-off semi-final thanks to a goal in each half from Budu Zivzivadze.

Georgia finished fourth in EURO 2024 qualifying Group A, collecting eight points from their eight games, their two wins both coming against Cyprus (2-1 a, 4-0 h). They also suffered two defeats against Spain (1-7 h, 1-3 a) and ended behind the three-time European champions plus Scotland and Norway.

Under Vladimír Weiss, Georgia were also fourth in their EURO 2020 qualifying section, again on eight points, finishing behind Switzerland, Denmark and the Republic of Ireland in Group D.

Sagnol has been Georgia coach since 2021, succeeding Weiss after four years in charge.

Mikautadze was the top scorer at EURO 2024 ahead of the round of 16 with three goals. He was the only player to find the net in all three group games and, having provided the assist for Kvaratskhelia's opener against Portugal, has been directly involved in all four of Georgia's finals goals.

Georgia are the 29th country to appear in the knockout rounds of a European Championship final tournament.

The 3-1 Matchday 1 loss to Türkiye is Georgia's only defeat in their six games in 2024 (W3 D2) – and one of only two in their last ten matches (W5 D3).

This is Georgia's first match at the Cologne Stadium.

Links and trivia

Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili has played for Valencia since 2021.

Giorgi Kochorashvili has been a Levante player since 2019, after a year on loan at second division side Peralada. He spent 2022/23 on loan at Castellón.

Dani Carvajal, Nacho and substitute Joselu all featured in Real Madrid's 3-2 win away to a Napoli side including Kvaratskhelia in the UEFA Champions League group stage on 3 October 2023. Joselu again came on in the reverse fixture at the Santiago Bernabéu on 29 November, scoring Madrid's final goal in a 4-2 win; Carvajal and Kvaratskhelia both started with Nacho also a substitute.

On 12 March Fermín López opened the scoring as Barcelona beat Kvaratskhelia's Napoli 3-1 in the Champions League round of 16 second leg, Lamine Yamal also starting for Barça. Kvaratskhelia, Pedri and Yamal had all started the 1-1 first-leg draw in Naples.

On 11 November 2023 Carvajal scored past Mamardashvili in Real Madrid's 5-1 home win against Valencia at the Bernabéu.

Ayoze Pérez scored both goals past Mamardashvili as Betis won 2-1 at Valencia in La Liga on 20 April. On 4 June 2023, he had scored past the Georgia goalkeeper as the clubs drew 1-1.

On 29 April Fermín López scored past Mamardashvili to set Barcelona on their way to a 4-2 home Liga win against Valencia.

A Nico Williams goal past Mamardashvili helped Athletic Club to a 3-1 win at Valencia in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals on 26 January 2023. The Spain winger also scored past the Georgia goalkeeper as Athletic won 2-1 at Valencia in the league on 11 February 2023.

Marc Cucurella's last game for Getafe was a 1-0 defeat at home to Valencia on 13 August 2021 – Mamardashvili's debut for the Spanish side.

Penalty shoot-outs

Spain's record in their 13 competitive penalty shoot-outs is W7 L6:
5-4 v Denmark, 1984 European Championship semi-final
4-5 v Belgium, 1986 World Cup quarter-final
2-4 v England, EURO '96 quarter-final
3-2 v Republic of Ireland, 2002 World Cup round of 16
3-5 v South Korea, 2002 World Cup quarter-final
4-2 v Italy, EURO 2008 quarter-final
4-2 v Portugal, EURO 2012 semi-final
7-6 v Italy, 2013 Confederations Cup semi-final
3-4 v Russia, 2018 World Cup round of 16
3-1 v Switzerland, EURO 2020 quarter-final
2-4 v Italy, EURO 2020 semi-final
0-3 v Morocco, 2022 World Cup round of 16
5-4 v Croatia, 2023 Nations League final

Georgia won their only competitive penalty shoot-out:
4-2 v Greece, EURO 2024 qualifying play-off final