El 11 de septiembre de 2012 la selección española visitó por primera vez Georgia. Sudó sangre para ganar en Tiflis, algo que logró con un solitario gol de Soldado con el reloj ya muy cerca del minuto 90.
Anzor Mekvabishvili (Tiflis, 5 de junio de 2001) era un niño de 11 años que soñaba con ser futbolista. Un año después entró en la academia del gran equipo de su ciudad y de su país, el Dinamo de Tiflis. Pasaron lo años y el sueño fue tomando forma. Anzor dio pasos firmes en su equipo y la selección apareció en su camino de manera natural.
En la sub 16 comenzó su camino con la selección de su país. Creció un jugador que evolucionó del eje de la defensa al centro del equipo en una generación con la que los georgianos cambiaron el paso, la de Mamardashvili, Kvaratskhelia, Mikautadze… Hoy, Mekvabishvili es una pieza clave en la Georgia de Willy Sagnol.
En su fuerza y fútbol se apoya una idea de juego que estuvo en la pasada Euro -cayeron ante España en octavos- y que tiene en su corazón a Anzor y Giorgi Kochorashvili, el ex del Levante, hoy jugador del Sporting de Portugal.
En Elche jugará por tercera vez contra España. Será su tercer duelo después del 1-7 en Tiflis y en 3-1 en Valladolid. El partido de la Euro se lo perdió al estar sancionado.
Anzor habla con MARCA antes de viajar a Elche. Y lo hace con la ilusión de poner a la campeona de Europa en problemas y la admiración por un fútbol en el que espera jugar.
“Representar a mi país frente a España es un orgullo enorme. Y, al mismo tiempo, una motivación para seguir trabajando y llegar a ese tipo de escenarios de manera habitual. Sabemos lo que es España, de su enorme potencial. Pero nosotros tenemos nuestras armas”, señala.
Mamardashvili celebró la victoria de Georgia con los aficionados en la grada
Sabemos lo que es España, de su enorme potencial. Pero nosotros tenemos nuestras armas
Cuando mira al duelo en Elche, el ahora jugador del Universidad de Craiova pone un nombre sobre la mesa. “Enfrentarme a España es un reto especial, sobre todo teniendo delante a un jugador como Pedri, que representa el estilo y la calidad que hacen único al fútbol español”.
Pedri representa el estilo y la calidad que hacen único al fútbol español
De ese fútbol, el español, el centrocampista georgiano tiene una opinión muy elevada: “Me encanta España, su cultura futbolística y el estilo de juego de La Liga. Sería un sueño poder seguir los pasos de muchos compañeros georgianos como Kochorashvili o Mamardashvili, que han brillado en clubes históricos de vuestro país”.
“Me encanta España, su cultura futbolística y el estilo de juego de La Liga
Para eso tiene claro el camino que debe seguir para alcanzar esa meta: “Mi objetivo es seguir creciendo cada día, aprender de los mejores y demostrar que los jugadores georgianos podemos competir al máximo nivel”.
Misma agencia que Tupuria
El deporte ha estrechado la relación entre España y Georgia. Más allá de que en la Liga ya sea normal la presencia de jugadores del país caucásico, uno de los mejores judokas del mundo es español, pero nació en Tiflis: Nikoloz Sherazadishvili.
Hasta Poirier alucina con Topuria
Pero si hay una figura deportiva de talla mundial que hermana a los dos países es la de Ilia Topuria, el campeón mundial del peso pluma de UFC. La agencia de Topuria, Unlimited Sports Management (USM), ha entrado en el mundo del fútbol. Anzor Mekvabishvili y Raúl Albiol son dos de sus apuestas más reciente en el mundo del balón.
This news was originally published on this post .
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