Georgi Kinkladze facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Georgi Kinkladze

Kinkladze with Rubin Kazan in 2005
Personal information
Date of birth	(1973-07-06) 6 July 1973 (age 51)
Place of birth	Tbilisi, Georgian SSR, Soviet Union
Height	1.73 m
Playing position	Midfielder
Youth career
1979–1989	Dinamo Tbilisi
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1989–1991	Mretebi Tbilisi	80	(18)
1991–1995	Dinamo Tbilisi	65	(41)
1993	→ 1. FC Saarbrücken (loan)	11	(0)
1994	→ Boca Juniors (loan)	3	(0)
1995–1998	Manchester City	106	(20)
1998–2000	Ajax	12	(0)
1999–2000	→ Derby County (loan)	14	(1)
2000–2003	Derby County	80	(6)
2004–2005	Anorthosis	22	(2)
2005–2006	Rubin Kazan	14	(2)
Total		405	(90)
National team
1992–2005	Georgia	54	(8)
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Georgi Kinkladze (Georgian: გიორგი ქინქლაძე; born 6 July 1973) is a former footballer from Georgia. People also called him Gio. He played as a midfielder who helped create goals for his team.

Georgi was born in Tbilisi, the capital city of Georgia. His first professional club was Mretebi Tbilisi. In Georgia, he won three league titles and two cups with Dinamo Tbilisi. He was also named the best player in Georgia twice. He became famous internationally when he played for the Georgian national team against Wales in 1994 and 1995.

In 1995, Kinkladze moved from Dinamo Tbilisi to the English club Manchester City. His amazing dribbling skills and fantastic goals made him a fan favorite. He won the club's Player of the Year award two times in a row. Even when Manchester City was moved to a lower league in 1996, Kinkladze stayed with them. But the team kept struggling. After they were moved down another league in 1998, he joined the Dutch champions Ajax. With his national team, he won the Malta International Football Tournament in 1998.

Kinkladze found it hard to settle in the Netherlands. About a year later, he returned to England to play for Derby County. He played for Derby for four years, appearing in almost 100 games. After leaving Derby in 2003, he tried out for several clubs. He then joined the Cypriot club Anorthosis in 2004, where he won a league championship. He finished his playing career with the Russian club Rubin Kazan in 2006.

Early Life and Football Start

Georgi Kinkladze was born on July 6, 1973, in Tbilisi, Georgia. At that time, Georgia was part of the Soviet Union. He lived with his family in the Didube area of the city. His father, Robinzon, was an engineer, and his mother, Khatuna, was a teacher. He also had an older sister.

Georgi's father really wanted him to be a successful footballer. He even made Georgi walk on his knees at home to make his legs stronger! When Georgi was six, his father enrolled him in Dinamo Tbilisi's junior team. Georgi's mother didn't always agree with his father's methods. She took Georgi to lessons for mtiuluri, which is a traditional Georgian ballet.

Over the next few years, Kinkladze played in Dinamo Tbilisi's youth teams. He eventually reached the reserve team. There, he played alongside Shota Arveladze, who later became his teammate in both club and international games.

Playing Career Highlights

Starting Out in Georgia

When Georgian football started its own leagues in 1989, Georgi moved to Mretebi Tbilisi. This was the first professional club in the Soviet Union. Mretebi Tbilisi was a smaller club, but it gave Kinkladze the chance to play in the first team. He made his professional debut at age 16 and quickly became a regular player. In 1991, Mretebi won the Pirveli Liga and moved up to the top division.

After playing one season in the top league with Mretebi, Kinkladze was signed by Dinamo Tbilisi. This was the team he had played for as a youth. In September 1992, Georgi made his first international appearance for Georgia at age 19. This was only the fourth game for the Georgian national team since they became independent from the Soviet Union. His youth teammate, Shota Arveladze, also played in this match. Kinkladze helped Arveladze score a goal.

In Kinkladze's first season with Dinamo, the team won both the league and the cup. Because of the Georgian Civil War, Dinamo Tbilisi wanted their players to be in a safer place. So, Kinkladze was sent on loan to 1. FC Saarbrücken in Germany in 1993. He played 11 games there but found it hard to settle in. He was sent off in one game. At the end of the season, Kinkladze returned to Georgia. He was named the national Player of the Year for 1993.

Dinamo's president, Merab Jordania, still worried about Kinkladze playing in Georgia. He offered Georgi to Atlético Madrid, but they didn't sign him. He then trained with Real Madrid's reserve team. Scouts from Boca Juniors in Argentina saw him there. Kinkladze went to Argentina for a month's loan. He even met his childhood hero, Diego Maradona! But he didn't get a permanent contract.

In September 1994, Kinkladze played for Georgia against Moldova. Italian clubs became interested in him. The Italian press even called him the "Rivera of the Black Sea." But no club tried to sign him until Manchester City chairman Francis Lee saw him play. Lee was very impressed and made a deal to have the first chance to sign Kinkladze if Dinamo wanted to sell him.

Two months later, Kinkladze scored his first international goal as Georgia beat Wales 5–0. Wales goalkeeper Neville Southall said Kinkladze was "the best player on the pitch by a mile." When the teams played again, Kinkladze scored the only goal with a chip over Southall. In his last season with Dinamo, the team won the league and cup again. Kinkladze scored 14 goals in 21 games. Many clubs wanted to sign him. But Jordania kept his promise to Lee. On July 15, 1995, Kinkladze signed for Manchester City. The fee was reported to be about £2 million. After some trouble getting a work permit, Kinkladze played his first game for Manchester City on August 19, 1995.

Time at Manchester City

Manchester City had a tough time during the 1995–96 season. They didn't win a single league game for the first three months. But Kinkladze quickly became a favorite among fans. His first goal for the club was in a 1–0 win against Aston Villa.

At first, Kinkladze missed his home. He was living in a hotel and didn't speak much English. His mother moved to Manchester to help him feel more at home. By December 1995, everyone saw Kinkladze as Manchester City's star player. On March 16, 1996, Kinkladze scored a truly amazing goal in a 2–1 win against Southampton. He dribbled past five players and then chipped the ball over the goalkeeper. This goal won "Goal of the Month" on the BBC show Match of the Day.

On the last day of the season, Manchester City was moved down to a lower league. Many clubs wanted to sign Kinkladze, like Barcelona and Liverpool. But he chose to stay at Manchester City. He had been named Player of the Year for 1995–96.

The 1996–97 season was also difficult for Manchester City. Kinkladze played for five different managers that season. He became the main penalty taker and scored many goals from free-kicks. One free-kick against Swindon Town was described as "like a missile." In the lower league, other teams often had two or three players try to stop Kinkladze. In one game, he had to leave the field on a stretcher after a tough tackle.

Manchester City finished far from the promotion spots. Again, people thought Kinkladze would leave. But he signed a new three-year contract. Kinkladze used some of his new money to buy a Ferrari. He was in a car accident in October 1997 and missed two games due to injury.

Manchester City kept struggling in the 1997–98 season. The manager, Frank Clark, was replaced by Joe Royle. Royle thought Kinkladze was too much of a luxury player for a team fighting to avoid being moved down. He wanted to sell Kinkladze. Kinkladze got an ankle injury and missed a month of games. When he returned, he played out of position and didn't play well. Royle criticized him and didn't play him for the next six games.

With two games left, Manchester City was in danger of being moved down again. Kinkladze returned to the team for a home game against Queens Park Rangers (QPR). Kinkladze scored with a free kick. But the game ended in a 2–2 draw. Manchester City was moved down for the second time in three seasons. Kinkladze played 119 games for Manchester City, scoring 22 goals. During this time, he also played regularly for the Georgian national team, including a 0–0 draw against Italy.

Moving to Ajax and Derby County

After leaving Manchester City, Kinkladze joined the Dutch club Ajax for £5 million. He was reunited with his friend Shota Arveladze in Amsterdam. However, Kinkladze's time at Ajax was not successful. He was signed to replace Jari Litmanen, but Litmanen stayed at Ajax. So, Kinkladze played in an unfamiliar left-wing position. He made few starts. The manager was also replaced, and Kinkladze had disagreements with the new manager. He felt unhappy because he wasn't playing. He made only 12 appearances for Ajax in his first season.

For his second season, Kinkladze wasn't given a squad number and had to train with the reserve team. In November 1999, he returned to England on a loan deal with Derby County.

Pride Park, where Kinkladze played for Derby County between 2000 and 2003.

Kinkladze made his debut for Derby on November 28, 1999. He scored his first Derby goal in a 4–0 win against Wimbledon in March 2000. At the end of the season, Derby signed him permanently for £3 million, which was a club record at the time.

Kinkladze missed the start of the 2000–01 season because of a hernia operation. He returned in September 2000. In a game against Middlesbrough, Derby was losing 3–0. Kinkladze came on as a substitute and helped the team come back to draw the match 3–3. However, he struggled with injuries and didn't show his best form often. He was named Derby's biggest disappointment of the season by The Guardian. In one game against Leeds United, he scored a solo goal to tie the game 1–1. Derby avoided being moved down that season. Kinkladze stayed at the club. Around this time, he married Louise Tai, and they had their first child, Saba, in October 2001.

The 2001–02 season was similar for Kinkladze, with a mix of starts and substitute appearances. The manager, Jim Smith, resigned, which disappointed Kinkladze. The new manager, Colin Todd, didn't like flair players. Kinkladze played very little under Todd. Kinkladze even used his lawyer to talk to Todd about not playing. Todd told him he could leave if he was unhappy. However, Todd was sacked in January 2002. John Gregory became the new manager. Kinkladze started playing regularly again. But Derby continued to struggle and was moved down to a lower league. This was the third time Kinkladze had experienced relegation.

Derby County had money problems and needed to cut costs. They told Kinkladze he had no future at the club. But Kinkladze, whose contract ended in summer 2003, didn't want to leave. He turned down a move to Turkish champions Galatasaray.

In the 2002–03 season, Kinkladze trained with the reserve team at first. He returned to the first team in August and helped Derby win a game against Stoke City. He missed some games due to injuries. In October 2002, the Georgian national team manager left Kinkladze out of the team, which surprised him. Kinkladze said he was fit and scoring goals, but wasn't called. He returned to the national team for the next European Championship qualifying match. By January, Kinkladze had not been paid for over three months because of Derby's financial problems. He wanted to leave, but no move happened. He played more often in the second half of the season and was named the supporters' Player of the Year.

Derby offered Kinkladze a new contract with much lower pay. Kinkladze turned it down. He wanted to move to a more successful club that could win trophies. He talked with Liverpool in May 2003. Since he couldn't agree on a new contract with Derby, Kinkladze left the club.

Without a club, Kinkladze trained with Portsmouth and Leeds United. But he didn't get a contract with either team. He also tried out for Panathinaikos in Greece and Shinnik Yaroslavl in Russia, but again, no contract offers.

Later Career and Retirement

Kinkladze finally found a club in October 2004. His former international teammate, Temuri Ketsbaia, was player-manager at the Cypriot team Anorthosis. Ketsbaia gave Kinkladze a chance to restart his career. He made his debut in November and scored a great goal. He scored again in a 5–0 win. In February, he was called back to Georgia's national team. His contract was extended for another year. Anorthosis won the Cypriot championship that season. They also earned a spot in the qualifying rounds of the 2005–06 UEFA Champions League. Kinkladze played five times in the Champions League qualifiers. His performance against Rangers caught the eye of Rubin Kazan’s manager.

On August 22, 2005, Kinkladze played his last game for Anorthosis. Two days later, he left to join Rubin Kazan. Ketsbaia said he didn't want players who didn't want to play for Anorthosis.

Anorthosis and Rubin agreed on August 26. Kinkladze signed a contract until the end of the season. He became the most famous Georgian footballer to play in the Russian Premier League. He made his debut for Rubin the next day. His first game was successful personally. He helped set up Rubin's goal. He scored two goals and made two assists in a 5–1 win against Terek Grozny. He also helped set up goals in four games in a row. He was called back to the Georgian national team again. But a muscle injury made him miss those games and Rubin's last league match. He finished the 2005 season with seven assists and two goals in nine games for Rubin.

Rubin offered Kinkladze a new one-year contract. He hoped to play well into his thirties. However, the 2006 season was his last. He got injured in Rubin's first game and struggled to stay fit. He made only five more appearances for Rubin. His last game was against Rostov on August 20, 2006. He was called to the Georgia national team in September but didn't play. He had to get more medical treatment. In November, Kinkladze got another injury and missed the rest of the season.

Rubin decided not to renew his contract. In January 2007, he talked with his old club, Anorthosis, but no transfer happened. In August 2007, his former teammate Malkhaz Asatiani confirmed that Kinkladze had stopped playing football and settled in Moscow. Kinkladze later worked as a sports agent. In August 2011, he returned to Anorthosis as a sports director, leaving in June 2012.

How Georgi Kinkladze Played

Kinkladze played as a playmaking midfielder. This means he usually played further forward than other midfielders. His main job was to create chances for his team to score goals. He was very creative.

One of Kinkladze's best skills was his dribbling. He could weave past players with the ball, which led to some amazing goals. His goal against Southampton, where he beat five players, is a great example. He was also good at set pieces, like corners and free kicks. He took penalties too, scoring seven for Manchester City.

However, Kinkladze was not known for his defending or tackling. This sometimes frustrated his managers. He also didn't play well when he was put on the left wing, and he didn't like playing in that position.

Throughout his career, he was named Georgian Player of the Year twice. He also won Club Player of the Year three times at English clubs. A Russian football history book called him the brightest Georgian talent of the 1990s. In 2005, he was voted third in a BBC poll for Manchester City's all-time "cult hero."

Career Statistics

Club Appearances

International Appearances

Scores and results list Georgia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Kinkladze goal.

List of international goals scored by Georgi Kinkladze

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition	Ref.
1	16 November 1994	Boris Paichadze Stadium, Tbilisi, Georgia	Wales	2–0	5–0	UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying
2	7 June 1995	Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff, Wales	Wales	1–0	1–0	UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying
3	11 October 1995	Boris Paichadze Stadium, Tbilisi, Georgia	Bulgaria	2–0	2–1	UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying
4	29 March 1997	Boris Paichadze Stadium, Tbilisi, Georgia	Armenia	2–0	7–0	Friendly
5	7 June 1997	Tsentral Stadium, Batumi, Georgia	Moldova	2–0	2–0	1998 FIFA World Cup qualification
6	2 May 1998	Stade Olympique de Sousse, Sousse, Tunisia	Tunisia	1–0	1–1	Friendly
7	29 March 2000	Sala Stadium, Ashkelon, Israel	Israel	1–0	1–1	Friendly
8	7 October 2000	S. Darius and S. Girėnas Stadium, Kaunas, Lithuania	Lithuania	3–0	4–0	2002 FIFA World Cup qualification

Awards and Achievements

Team Honors

• Dinamo Tbilisi
  • Umaglesi Liga: 1993, 1994, 1995
  • Georgian Cup: 1993, 1995

Individual Awards

• Georgian Footballer of the Year: 1993, 1996
• Manchester City Player of the Season: 1996, 1997
• Derby County F.C. Player of the Year: 2003
• PFA First Division Team of the Year: 1997, 1998
• BBC Goal of the Month: March 1996, January 1998

See also

In Spanish: Georgi Kinkladze para niños