Valerian "Vako" Gvilia (Georgian: ვალერიან "ვაკო" გვილია, pronounced [valeɾian vakʼo ɡʷilia]; Ukrainian: Валеріане Ярославович Гвілія; born 24 May 1994) is a Georgian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder. He also has Ukrainian citizenship. Besides Ukraine, he has played in Belarus, Switzerland, and Poland.[2]
 Gvilia with Ukraine U21 in 2015 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Valerian Yaroslavovych Gvilia | ||
| Date of birth | 24 May 1994 | ||
| Place of birth | Zugdidi, Georgia | ||
| Height | 1.82 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2011–2014 | Metalist Kharkiv | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2014–2015 | Metalurh Zaporizhya | 26 | (1) |
| 2016 | Minsk | 15 | (4) |
| 2016–2017 | BATE Borisov | 23 | (5) |
| 2018–2019 | Luzern | 23 | (2) |
| 2019 | → Górnik Zabrze (loan) | 17 | (1) |
| 2019–2021 | Legia Warsaw | 54 | (8) |
| 2021–2023 | Raków Częstochowa | 22 | (0) |
| 2024 | Piast Gliwice | 2 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2015 | Ukraine U21 | 4 | (0) |
| 2016 | Georgia U21 | 4 | (0) |
| 2016–2022 | Georgia | 44 | (3) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 8 April 2024 | |||
Club career
editGvilia is product of youth team system Metalurh Zaporizhya. He made his Ukrainian Premier League debut for Metalurh entering as a second time playing against Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk on 15 August 2014.[3] Gvilia signed a contract with Belarusian club BATE Borisov in early July 2016.[4]
In January 2018, Gvilia signed a three-year deal with Swiss Super League side Luzern.[5]
From 2019 untl 2021, he played for Polish side Legia Warsaw, with whom he won two national championships.[6]
On 31 August 2021, he was announced as a player of the Polish vice-champion, Raków Częstochowa.[7] On 30 January 2023, having not made an appearance for the club since late August 2022, he terminated his contract by mutual consent.[8]
He remained without a club until 7 March 2024, when he joined Piast Gliwice on a deal until the end of the season, reuniting with his former Legia manager Aleksandar Vuković.[9] He made his debut as a late substitute in a 3–1 away loss against Legia on 17 March.[10] He made one more appearance before leaving the club on 31 May upon the expiration of his contract.[11]
International career
editGvilia was named in Georgia's senior squad for 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Republic of Ireland and Wales in October 2016.[12]
Career statistics
editClub
edit- As of 8 April 2024
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Metalurh Zaporizhya | 2014–15 | Ukrainian Premier League | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 0 | ||
| 2015–16 | Ukrainian Premier League | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 1 | |||
| Total | 26 | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 29 | 1 | ||||
| Minsk | 2015 | Belarusian Premier League | 15 | 4 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 4 | ||
| BATE Borisov | 2016 | Belarusian Premier League | 14 | 4 | — | — | — | 14 | 4 | |||
| 2017 | Belarusian Premier League | 9 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 2 | |
| 2018 | Belarusian Premier League | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | |||
| Total | 23 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 6 | ||
| Luzern | 2016–17 | Swiss Super League | 12 | 1 | — | — | — | 12 | 1 | |||
| 2018–19 | Swiss Super League | 11 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 15 | 2 | ||
| Total | 23 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 27 | 3 | |||
| Górnik Zabrze (loan) | 2018–19 | Ekstraklasa | 17 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 1 | ||
| Legia Warsaw | 2019–20 | Ekstraklasa | 35 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 1 | — | 47 | 11 | |
| 2020–21 | Ekstraklasa | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 0 | |
| Total | 54 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 70 | 11 | ||
| Raków Częstochowa | 2021–22 | Ekstraklasa | 21 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 24 | 1 | ||
| 2022–23 | Ekstraklasa | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| Total | 22 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 1 | ||
| Piast Gliwice | 2023–24 | Ekstraklasa | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 182 | 21 | 24 | 5 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 226 | 27 | ||
International goals
edit- Scores and results list Georgia's goal tally first.[13]
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1
|
5 September 2017 | Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria |  Austria |
1–0 | 1–1 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
2
|
16 October 2018 | Daugava Stadium, Riga, Latvia |  Latvia |
2–0 | 3–0 | 2018–19 UEFA Nations League D |
3
|
7 June 2019 | Boris Paichadze National Stadium, Tbilisi, Georgia |  Gibraltar |
1–0 | 3–0 | UEFA Euro 2020 qualification |
Honours
editBATE Borisov
Legia Warsaw
Raków Częstochowa
- Ekstraklasa: 2022–23[14]
- Polish Cup: 2021–22
References
edit- ^ "Валериане Ярославович Гвилия". FC BATE Borisov official website. July 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
- ^ Oferta Ferencvarosu była atrakcyjna, ale bardziej kręci mnie wyzwanie w Legii weszlo.com
- ^ Чемпіонат Прем'єр-ліги. 4 тур. Матч № 24 15.08.2014. (in Ukrainian). Official UPL Site. 16 August 2014.
- ^ "Валериане Гвилия — футболист БАТЭ". FC BATE Borisov official website. 4 July 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
- ^ "VALERIANE GVILIA WECHSELT ZUM FC LUZERN" (in German). Luzern Official Statement. 30 January 2018.
- ^ "Gwilia został piłkarzem Rakowa". legia.net (in Polish). 31 August 2021.
- ^ "Walerian Gwilia w Rakowie". www.90minut.pl (in Polish).
- ^ "Valeriane Gvilia odchodzi z Rakowa" (in Polish). Raków Częstochowa. 30 January 2023.
- ^ "Walerian Gwilia piłkarzem Piasta!" (in Polish). Piast Gliwice. 7 March 2024. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
- ^ "PKO Ekstraklasa 2023/2024 - Kolejka 25". 90minut.pl (in Polish). 17 March 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
- ^ "Walerian Gwilia odchodzi z Piasta" (in Polish). Piast Gliwice. 31 May 2024. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
- ^ "Expanded Squad Named for the Upcoming Qualifiers". gff.ge. 23 September 2016. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
- ^ "Gvilia, Valerian". National Football Teams. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
- ^ "Raków Częstochowa mistrzem Polski!". polsatsport.pl (in Polish). 7 May 2023.
External links
edit- Profile at FFU Official Site (Ukr)
- Valerian Gvilia at Soccerbase
- Valerian Gvilia at Soccerway
