FC Dinamo Tbilisi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Dinamo Tbilisi

Full name	Football Club Dinamo Tbilisi
Nickname(s)	Blue-White
Founded	1 September 1925; 99 years ago (1925-09-01)
Ground	Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena
Ground Capacity	54,202
President	Roman Pipia
Manager	Vladimer Kakashvili
League	Erovnuli Liga
2024	Erovnuli Liga, 7th of 10
Home colours Away colours

FC Dinamo Tbilisi is a professional football club from Tbilisi, Georgia. They play in the Erovnuli Liga, which is the top football league in Georgia.

Dinamo Tbilisi was one of the most important clubs in Soviet football history. They became famous very quickly after starting in 1936. The club was part of the All-Union Dynamo sports society, which was supported by the Soviet Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Their biggest achievement was winning the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1981. They beat FC Carl Zeiss Jena from East Germany 2–1 in the final match in Düsseldorf. This made them the only club from Georgia to ever win a European trophy!

Many famous players have played for Dinamo Tbilisi. Some well-known Soviet players include Boris Paichadze and Mikheil Meskhi. After the Soviet Union ended, the club continued to produce great Georgian players like Kakha Kaladze and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Dinamo Tbilisi was one of the few teams in the Soviet Top League that was never moved down to a lower league. Their most famous coach was Nodar Akhalkatsi. He led the team to win the Soviet league in 1978, two Soviet Cups, and the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1981. Today, FC Dinamo Tbilisi holds the record for winning the Georgian league 16 times and the Georgian Cup 13 times.

Club History

The Early Days: 1920s

The story of FC Dinamo Tbilisi began in 1925. The Dinamo sports society decided to create a football club. At that time, football was becoming very popular around the world.

In 1927, Dinamo Tbilisi started a junior club called "Norchi Dinamoeli" (meaning "young Dinamo"). This junior club helped train many talented young players for the main team. These players included their first goalkeeper and captain, Shota Savgulidze.

In the beginning, there was no official championship in Georgia. Teams just played friendly matches. Dinamo's first match was on January 26, 1926, against Dinamo Baku from Azerbaijan. They lost 1–0. A few days later, they won their first game, beating another Azerbaijani team, "Progress," 3–0.

Even though they played well in the mid-1930s, the Football Federation of the Soviet Union placed Dinamo Tbilisi in the second-tier league. But Dinamo kept showing strong performances. They even beat Dynamo Moscow, one of the best teams, 9–5 in Tbilisi. This strong play helped them qualify for the top league.

World War II and Beyond: 1930s and 1940s

The second Soviet championship began in the autumn of 1936. Dinamo Tbilisi played many matches in the Soviet Union Championship. Their first match was a 2–2 draw against Dynamo Kyiv.

Their first victory in the USSR championship was on September 25 against Spartak Moscow. Dinamo finished that season in 3rd place. They also reached the first Soviet Cup final but lost 0–2 to Lokomotiv Moscow. Their first international match was against the Spanish team Baskonia in 1937, which they lost 0–2.

During the 1930s and 1940s, Dinamo was one of the best Soviet teams, even though they didn't win a championship title. People often called them the "crownless champions."

The 1950s: A New Era

In the 1950s, the team was led by Avtandil Gogoberidze. He played for Dinamo for 17 years and still holds the record for most games played and goals scored for the club.

A very important person in Dinamo's history was coach Andro Jordania. He is seen as one of the most significant figures for the club. His time as coach is called "the Renaissance" because he brought back Dinamo's strong traditions. The club's training ground is named after him.

First Soviet Successes: The 1960s

Dinamo's first big success came in 1964 when they won the Soviet Top League. They were unbeaten in their last 15 matches! At the end of the season, Dinamo was tied with Torpedo Moscow. They played an extra match in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, which Dinamo won 4–1. Georgian fans were so happy they called their team "Golden Guys".

A famous French magazine, France Football, praised Dinamo's players for their skill and intelligence. They even suggested Dinamo could challenge the best European teams if they were allowed to play in the UEFA European Cup. However, Soviet teams were not allowed to play in that competition at the time.

European Adventures: The 1970s

Dinamo's first time playing in a European competition was in 1972 against the Dutch team Twente in the UEFA Cup. Dinamo won the first game 3–2.

In 1973, Dinamo won their first international tournament, the Columbus's Caravela Trophy, after beating strong teams like Atlético Madrid and Benfica.

In 1976, Nodar Akhalkatsi became Dinamo's head coach. Under his leadership, Dinamo achieved its greatest successes. The team was known for its fast, skillful, and technical style of play.

During this time, Dinamo won the Soviet Cup for the first time in 1976. They beat Ararat Yerevan 3–0 in the final. In 1978, the club won the Soviet Top League for the second time. The next year, Dinamo won the Soviet Cup again, defeating Dynamo Moscow in the final.

In 1979, the club played its first match in the UEFA European Cup. In the first round, Dinamo surprised everyone by knocking out Liverpool, one of Europe's strongest teams at the time. After losing the first match 1–2, Dinamo won 3–0 in Tbilisi to advance. They were later eliminated by Hamburg. In the 1970s, Dinamo also beat famous Italian teams like Inter Milan and Napoli in European competitions.

1976 Soviet Cup Final

1979 Soviet Cup Final

1981 European Cup Winners' Cup Final

Winning in Europe: The 1980s

The most important moment in Dinamo's history was winning the 1980–81 European Cup Winners' Cup. They beat strong teams like West Ham United and Feyenoord Rotterdam. In the final on May 13, 1981, they defeated East German side Carl Zeiss Jena 2–1. Vitaly Daraselia and Vladimir Gutsaev scored the winning goals.

Dinamo Tbilisi, winner of 1981 European Cup Winners' Cup, on a Georgian stamp, 2002

Helmut Schön, who coached the team that won the 1974 FIFA World Cup, said that Dinamo truly deserved the victory because they had "top-quality performers."

In 1982, as the defending champions, Dinamo reached the semi-finals of the Cup Winners' Cup but were knocked out by Belgian team Standard Liège.

From 1983 to 1989, the club faced some challenges and did not perform as well in the league or European tournaments. Dinamo Tbilisi played its last game in the Soviet Top League on October 27, 1989, against Dynamo Kyiv. Both their first and last official matches in the Soviet championship ended in a 2–2 draw with Dynamo Kyiv.

New Beginnings: The 1990s

In 1990, the Georgian Football Federation decided not to take part in the Soviet Union championship anymore. This meant Georgian football clubs would no longer play in Soviet tournaments. This marked the start of a new chapter for FC Dinamo Tbilisi.

For a short time, the club changed its name to Iberia Tbilisi to show its independence from the Soviet past. However, many fans did not like this change, so by 1992, the club went back to its original name.

Dinamo played its first match in the Georgian National championship on March 30, 1990, against Kolkheti Poti. They lost this historic match 0–1. But the club quickly recovered and won the first Georgian National championship. They went on to win the next 9 championships in a row!

In 1992, Dinamo won their first "double," meaning they won both the league and the Georgian Cup. In 1993, Dinamo played its first official international match representing independent Georgia. They won against Linfield 2–1. However, the club was later disqualified from the tournament.

Even with great success in Georgia, the club struggled in European competitions during this period. In 1996, Dinamo made it through three rounds in the UEFA Cup but were eventually knocked out by Portuguese team Boavista.

Dinamo came very close to reaching the group stages of the 1998–99 UEFA Champions League but were eliminated by Athletic Bilbao. Many key players started moving to European clubs, which made it harder for Dinamo to win the Georgian Championship or Cup.

The 2000s: New Ownership and European Group Stage

In the early 2000s, a famous Georgian businessman, Badri Patarkatsishvili, bought FC Dinamo Tbilisi. In 2003, the club won the Georgian Championship and the Georgian Cup.

In 2004, under Croatian coach Ivo Šušak, Dinamo won the CIS Cup in Moscow. They beat Latvian team Skonto 3–1 in the final. In the same year, Dinamo successfully made it through the qualifying rounds of the UEFA Cup. They beat teams like BATE Borisov and Wisła Kraków to reach the group stage. There, they played against strong teams like Newcastle United and Sporting CP. Dinamo lost all four games in the group stage.

Dinamo won the Georgian championship again in 2005 and then in 2008, when Czech coach Dušan Uhrin was in charge. In 2009, the club won the Georgian Cup.

The 2010s: Modernization and More Titles

In January 2011, Georgian businessman Roman Pipia bought FC Dinamo Tbilisi. That year, the club played well in the UEFA Europa League qualifying rounds but could not get past AEK Athens in the play-off round.

After a tough season in 2011–12, Dinamo did not qualify for any UEFA competitions for the first time in a while. The new owner immediately started to improve the club. He began by rebuilding the Digomi training ground and also renovated the Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena. The stadium's pitch was replaced, and new lighting and VIP areas were added to meet high standards. A renovated Youth Football Academy also began.

In 2013, Dinamo lost to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League play-off round. After that, Dinamo won the league and cup "double" in 2013, 2014, and 2016.

Home Stadium

The construction of the Dinamo stadium began in 1929 and was finished on October 12, 1935. It could hold 23,000 fans.

From 1960 to 1962, the stadium was rebuilt, and its capacity grew to 36,000 spectators. It officially reopened on July 27, 1962.

Because Dinamo Tbilisi was playing so well, there was a need for an even bigger stadium. The leader of the Georgian Communist Party, Eduard Shevardnadze, convinced Moscow that Georgia needed a larger stadium. Once built, it became the third-largest stadium in the Soviet Union, able to hold 78,000 supporters.

The first official match after this major rebuild was on September 29, 1976. It was a UEFA Cup Winners' Cup match between Dinamo Tbilisi and Cardiff City. Dinamo won 3–0.

The stadium was renovated again in 2006, and its capacity was changed to 54,549. In 2012, the stadium's grass was replaced, and its energy and irrigation systems were improved.

Even though the stadium's official capacity was 78,000, many Georgian football fans remember matches with even more people. For example, in 1979, when Dinamo played Liverpool, the attendance was 110,000! This huge support helped Dinamo win 3–0. The Dinamo stadium held a record in the Soviet Union for having an average attendance of 45,000.

In 1995, the stadium was renamed Boris Paichadze National Stadium, after the famous Georgian footballer Boris Paichadze. It is now the home stadium for the Georgia national football team. In 1981, 80,000 fans came with lit torches to celebrate the team's European Cup Winners' Cup victory.

The stadium also hosted the 2015 UEFA Super Cup match between Barcelona and Sevilla. Barcelona won 5–4 in extra time.

Team Kits and Sponsors

Players

Current Squad

No. Position Player 1 GK Ștefan Sicaci 2 DF Giorgi Gvasalia 3 DF Tengo Gobeshia 4 DF Irakli Iakobidze 5 DF Saba Kharebashvili 6 MF Aleksandre Peikrishvili (on loan from Dynamo Kyiv) 7 FW Vakhtang Salia 8 MF Tsotne Berelidze 11 MF Tornike Morchiladze 12 FW Mate Vatsadze 13 MF Luka Tsulaia 14 DF Léo Assunpção (on loan from PSTC) 15 DF Mukhran Bagrationi 16 DF Saba Akhalkatsi 17 DF Bohdan Potalov 18 MF Valerian Gvilia 20 MF Nikoloz Chikovani 21 MF Raul Baratelia 22 MF Nika Ninua 23 MF Jaba Kankava (captain) 24 FW Dominik Reiter

No. Position Player 25 MF Luka Bubuteishvili 26 DF Benson Anang 28 DF Luka Salukvadze 29 FW Vasilios Gordeziani 30 FW Temur Odikadze 31 FW Rati Aleksidze 32 FW Sandro Mikautadze 33 FW Adrian César 36 GK Papuna Beruashvili 37 GK Mikheil Makatsaria 39 DF Gela Sadghobelashvili 40 GK Giorgi Loria 41 DF Mate Shatirishvili 44 MF Lazare Natenadze 45 MF Levan Nachkebia 46 MF Saba Nioradze 47 MF Honore Gomis 50 FW Irakli Siradze 51 FW Barnes Osei 52 MF Giorgi Lomtadze MF Levan Osikmashvili MF Nika Sikharulashvili

Players on Loan

No. Position Player GK Mate Sauri (at Rio Ave U23) DF Nikoloz Ugrekhelidze (at Fatih Karagümrük) FW Davit Gotsiridze (at Gagra)

No. Position Player FW Jaduli Iobashvili (at Telavi) FW Nikoloz Tshekladze (at Telavi) FW Oscar Santis (at Antigua)

Club Achievements

Dinamo Tbilisi is the most successful football club in Georgia. They have won the Georgian championship 19 times and the Georgian Cup 13 times. Dinamo was also one of the few major football clubs in the Soviet era that was never moved down from the top league. Along with Ukrainian Dynamo Kyiv, they were the only club from the Soviet Union to win a European competition.

•      record

Other International Wins

• Commonwealth of Independent States Cup
  • Winners: (1) 2004

Individual Player Awards

Some Dinamo Tbilisi players have won special awards:

Soviet Footballer of the Year

• David Kipiani – 1977
• Ramaz Shengelia – 1978, 1981
• Aleksandre Chivadze – 1980

Georgian Footballer of the Year

• Temur Ketsbaia – 1990
• Giorgi Kinkladze – 1993

European Championship Winners Three players won the 1960 European Championship while playing for Dinamo Tbilisi:

• Givi Chokheli
• Zaur Kaloev
• Mikheil Meskhi

Olympic Gold Medalists One player won the Seoul 1988 Olympic gold medal while playing for Dinamo Tbilisi:

• Gela Ketashvili

Coaches Through the Years

Here is a list of all the managers who have coached FC Dinamo Tbilisi:

Name	Dates
Grigol Pachulia	1935–1936
Jules Limbeck	1936–1937
Aleksey Sokolov	1937–1939
Mikhail Butusov	1939–1940
Mikhail Minaev	1940
Pyotr Filippov	1940
Asir Galperin	1942–1945
Aleksey Sokolov	1943–1944
Andro Jordania	1945–1947
Mikheil Berdzenishvili	1948
Mikhail Minaev	1949
Aleksey Sokolov	1949–1950
Mikhail Yakushin	1950–1953
Boris Paichadze	1953–1954
Grigol Gagua	1954
Andro Jordania	1955
Gaioz Jejelava	1956–1957
Vasily Sokolov	1958
Andro Jordania	1959–1961
Avtandil Gogoberidze	1961
Nestor Chkhatarashvili	1962
Mikhail Yakushin	1962–1964
Gavriil Kachalin	1964–1965
Aleksandre Kotrikadze	1966
Viacheslav Soloviov	1967–1968
Givi Chokheli	1969–1970
Gavriil Kachalin	1971–1972
Alexander Kotrikadze	1973
Givi Chokheli	1974
Mikhail Yakushin	1974–1975
Nodar Akhalkatsi	1976–1983
David Kipiani	1984–1985
Alexander Kotrikadze	1985
Nodar Akhalkatsi	1985–1986
Kakhi Asatiani	1987
German Zonin	1987–1988
/ David Kipiani	1988–1991
Revaz Dzodzuashvili	1992
Givi Nodia	1992–1994
Temur Chkhaidze	1994
Sergo Kutivadze	1994–1995
Vaja Jvania	1995
David Kipiani	1995–1997
Nodar Akobia	1998
Murtaz Khurtsilava	1998–1999
Johan Boskamp	1999
Otar Korghalidze	1999–2000
Jemal Chimakadze	2000
Revaz Arveladze	2000–2001
Gocha Tkebuchava	2001
Givi Nodia	2001
Ivo Šušak	2002–2004
Gia Geguchadze	2004–2005
Khvicha Kasrashvili	2005
Kakhaber Tskhadadze	2005–2006
Andrei Chernyshov	2006
Kakhaber Kacharava	2006
Dušan Uhrin	2006–2008
Rainer Zobel	2008–2009
Kakhaber Kacharava	2009–2010
Tamaz Samkharadze	2010
Kakhaber Kacharava	2011
Álex García	2011–2012
Giorgi Devdariani	2012
Nestor Mumladze	2012
Dušan Uhrin, Jr.	2012–2013
Malkhaz Zhvania	2013–2014
Michal Bílek	2014
Kakhaber Gogichaishvili	2014–2015
Gia Geguchadze	2015–2016
Juraj Jarábek	2016
Vyacheslav Hroznyi	2016–2017
Kakhaber Kacharava	2017–2018
Zaur Svanadze	2018
Félix Vicente	2019
Kakhaber Chkhetiani	2020
Xisco	2020
Georgi Nemsadze	2020–2021
Kakhaber Tskhadadze	2021–2022
Giorgi Tchiabrishvili	2022–2023
Andrés Carrasco	2023–2024
Ferdinand Feldhofer	2024
Vladimer Kakashvili	2024–

European Competitions

Dinamo Tbilisi has played many matches in European football tournaments. Here's a summary of their record:

UEFA Club Rankings

This table shows where Dinamo Tbilisi ranks among European football clubs based on their performance in UEFA competitions.

Rank	Team	Coefficient
230	Shakhtyor Soligorsk	4.750
231	Sarajevo	4.750
232	Dinamo Tbilisi	4.750
233	Cork City	4.750
234	Fola Esch	4.750

Season Results

Key

Soviet Union Seasons

Georgian Seasons

See also

In Spanish: SK Dinamo Tiflis para niños