Giorgi Gvelesiani Order of Honor (Georgian: გიორგი გველესიანი; born 5 May 1991) is a Georgian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Persian Gulf Pro League club Persepolis and the Georgia national team.[1][2]

Giorgi Gvelesiani
Gvelesiani with Georgia at the UEFA Euro 2024
Personal information
Date of birth (1991-05-05) 5 May 1991 (age 33)
Place of birth Tbilisi, Georgian SSR, Soviet Union
Height 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Position(s) Centre-back, defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
Persepolis
Number 30
Youth career
000–2010 Dinamo Tbilisi
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2017 Dinamo Tbilisi 81 (7)
2012–2013 Dinamo-2 Tbilisi 3 (0)
2017–2018 Zob Ahan 20 (0)
2018–2019 Nassaji Mazandaran 22 (5)
2019–2022 Sepahan 62 (9)
2022– Persepolis 62 (13)
International career
Georgia U19 3 (0)
2024– Georgia 7 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 4 November 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 11 October 2024

Club career

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Dinamo Tbilisi

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Ending his contract with Dinamo Tbilisi in June 2016,[3] Gvelesiani trained with Ukrainian team Volyn Lutsk soon after.[4] However, his stint there proved transitory as registration problems prevented them from legally letting him play,[5] resulting in him leaving the club in August.

Zob Ahan

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Gvelesiani (right) playing for Zob Ahan against Esteghlal in 2018

Early into summer 2017, the Iranian media spread rumors that a transfer to Persian Gulf Pro League outfit Zob Ahan was imminent for Gvelesiani;[6] he eventually signed for them a few days later.[7] Given a red card for his reckless actions on his debut,[8] the Georgian defender settled well in to the club, forming a good relationship with his teammates and staff.[8]

Nassaji Mazandaran

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On 28 July 2018, Gvelesiani joined Iranian club Nassaji Mazandaran on a one-year deal.[9]

Sepahan

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Gvelesiani playing for Sepahan against Esteghlal in 2019

On 12 June 2019, Gvelesiani joined Sepahan S.C. on a two-year deal.[10][11]

Persepolis

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Gvelesiani with Persepolis against Havadar in 2023

On 19 June 2022, Gvelesiani joined Persian Gulf Pro League side Persepolis on a new two-year deal.[12] In December 2022, Gvelesiani gave Persepolis the lead in the 16th minute of Tehran derby against Esteghlal with a header in the box. In the second half, He once again scored with a header in the 89th[13] minute.[14][15]

He became the first defender in the history of capital derby to score two goals in one game.[16][17] After his performance in the Tehran derby, he became more popular among Persepolis fans.[18]

He also has become the first choice penalty kick taker at Persepolis. Even in the presence of the team's forwards, he would take penalties. Iranian media wrote about his ability to score penalties.[19][20][21][22]

Among the foreign players in the history of Persepolis club, he is one of the foreign defenders with a significant number of goals.[23][24] He has usually performed well in important matches for Persepolis, Especially against Esteghlal and Sepahan.[25]

On June 1, 2024, Persepolis played against Mes Rafsanjan on the final game of the season. They had a one point lead over Esteghlal going into the game, needing to win to guarantee the league title. With the score at 0-0 in the 86th minute and Esteghlal winning 2-0, Gvelesiani scored a header to win the game and secure the title.[26]

International career

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Gvelesiani was called up to the Georgia national team for the first time in 2015,[27] and made his debut in a friendly match against Montenegro in June 2024.[28]

Gvelesiani was a member of the squad taking part in Georgia's first major tournament. He played in three of the four matches, including against Spain in the knock-out stage.[29]

Style of play

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Gvelesiani has a good ability to score goals and helps the team when scoring becomes difficult for the forwards.[18]

Personal life

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He has mentioned that his sleep time varies and sometimes he stays up late. He added: "I am not super professional and sometimes I sleep at 2 or 3, eat whatever I want and wake up whenever I want. I don't think football has anything to do with this. Football depends on your personality and that is the most important issue. I try to keep the middle; I am not a fully professional guy and I live a normal life. The secret of success is that I try to give 100% of my game on the field and even in training I always try to win; This is the secret of my personality".[30][31]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of 30 October 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Dinamo Tbilisi 2010–11 Umaglesi Liga 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
2011–12 6 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 10 0
2012–13 5 0 2 0 7 0
2013–14 16 3 4 1 2 0 1 0 23 4
2014–15 15 1 3 0 2 0 1 0 21 1
2016 21 2 3 0 1 0 1 0 26 2
2017 16 1 1 0 16 1
Total 81 7 15 1 7 0 3 0 106 8
Zob Ahan 2017–18 Persian Gulf Pro League 20 0 1 0 9 1 30 1
Nassaji 2018–19 Persian Gulf Pro League 22 5 2 0 24 5
Sepahan 2019–20 Persian Gulf Pro League 16 4 2 0 3 0 21 4
2020–21 22 1 3 1 25 2
2021–22 24 4 1 0 6 0 31 4
Total 62 9 6 1 9 0 77 10
Persepolis 2022–23 Persian Gulf Pro League 29 6 4 4 33 10
2023–24 25 6 1 0 5 0 31 6
2024–25 7 1 0 0 3 0 0 0 10 1
Total 61 13 5 4 8 0 0 0 74 17
Career total 246 33 29 6 33 1 3 0 311 40

International

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As of match played on 11 October 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Georgia 2015 0 0
2023 0 0
2024 7 0
Total 7 0

Honours

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Dinamo Tbilisi

Zob Ahan

Sepahan

Persepolis

References

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  1. ^ "Archived copy". eurosport.com. Archived from the original on 23 March 2023. Retrieved 11 September 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ UEFA.com. "Giorgi Gvelesiani | Georgia | European Qualifiers". UEFA.com. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  3. ^ "გიორგი გველესიანი: "დინამოს" მწვრთნელის ჩემდამი ანტიპათიის გამო დავშორდი".
  4. ^ "გველესიანი ამჯერად "ვოლინში" ვარჯიშობს".
  5. ^ "გველესიანი – ტრავმაც და რეგისტრაციის პრობლემაც".
  6. ^ "Zob Ahan Reaches Agreement with Georgian Defender Gvelesiani". Archived from the original on 16 October 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  7. ^ "გიორგი გველესიანი კარიერას ირანულ "ზობ აჰანში" გააგრძელებს".
  8. ^ a b "გიორგი გველესიანი: ფეხბურთი ირანში უფრო უყვართ, ვიდრე საქართველოში".
  9. ^ "ولسیانی به نساجی مازندران پیوست (عکس)". خبرگزاری ایلنا (in Persian). Retrieved 19 June 2022.
  10. ^ "ولسیانی به سپاهان پیوست". خبرگزاری ایلنا (in Persian). Retrieved 19 June 2022.
  11. ^ "ولسیانی به سپاهان پیوست". ایسنا (in Persian). 12 June 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
  12. ^ "Persepolis complete signing of Gvelesiani". Tehran Times. 19 June 2022. Archived from the original on 20 June 2022. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
  13. ^ دبل گولسیانی، گل دوم پرسپولیس به استقلال- ویدیو ورزش سه (in Persian), ویدیو ورزش سه, 20 December 2022, archived from the original on 13 June 2024, retrieved 27 February 2023
  14. ^ "Esteghlal, Persepolis share spoils in 2-2 draw". Tehran Times. 20 December 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  15. ^ "استقلال 2 - پرسپولیس 2 / تساوی دربی در غیاب هواداران | پايگاه خبری افکارنيوز". پايگاه خبری افکارنيوز (in Persian). Archived from the original on 13 June 2024. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  16. ^ "تاریخ‌سازی یک پرسپولیسی در دربی‌ها/ گولسیانی با رکورد جدید جاودانه شد!". www.khabarvarzeshi.com (in Persian). 20 December 2022. Archived from the original on 13 June 2024. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  17. ^ روزنو, Roozno | پایگاه خبری تحلیلی. "ستاره پرسپولیس در دربی جاودانه شد! | روزنو". fa (in Persian). Archived from the original on 13 June 2024. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  18. ^ a b "اعلام پرواز ممنوع در آسمان پرسپولیس (عکس)". ورزش سه (in Persian). Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  19. ^ "آمار عالی گولسیانی در پنالتی‌ها/ ستاره پرسپولیس مرد بازی‌های بزرگ است". www.khabarvarzeshi.com (in Persian). 26 February 2023. Archived from the original on 27 February 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  20. ^ "آمار عالی گولسیانی در پنالتی‌ها/ ستاره پرسپولیس مرد بازی‌های بزرگ است". خبرگزاری سلامت طبنا | TEBNA (in Persian). 26 February 2023. Archived from the original on 27 February 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  21. ^ "یحیی دستور داد گولسیانی پنالتی بزند/ دلخوری بی دلیل مهاجم برزیلی از مدافع گرجستانی پرسپولیس". www.khabarvarzeshi.com (in Persian). 25 February 2023. Archived from the original on 27 February 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  22. ^ "مدافعان پرسپولیس و تبحر خالص در پنالتی‌زنی (عکس)". ورزش سه (in Persian). Archived from the original on 13 June 2024. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  23. ^ "ستاره پرسپولیس نیامده تاریخ‌ساز شد/ یک بازیکن جدید بین ۱۰ گلزن برتر خارجی سرخ‌ها". فرتاک ورزشی (in Persian). 12 January 2023. Archived from the original on 27 February 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  24. ^ "گولسیانی، دهمین گلزن خارجی برتر پرسپولیس". ورزش سه (in Persian). Archived from the original on 13 June 2024. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  25. ^ "آمار فوق العاده‌ای که گولسیانی ثبت کرده است". مشرق نیوز (in Persian). 26 February 2023. Archived from the original on 13 June 2024. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  26. ^ "Persepolis FC become champions of Iran league". Mehr News Agency. 1 June 2024. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
  27. ^ "Georgia – G. Gvelesiani – Profile with news, career statistics and history". Soccerway. Archived from the original on 25 May 2024. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
  28. ^ "Georgia vs Montenegro friendly match". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  29. ^ "Spain s Georgia match report". bbc.com. 30 June 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  30. ^ "اعتراف عجیب مدافع پرسپولیس درباره سبک زندگی‌اش". فوتبالی (in Persian). 14 January 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  31. ^ "گولسیانی: حرفه‌ای نیستم و ساعت سه می‌خوابم!". ورزش سه (in Persian). Retrieved 27 February 2023.
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