Euro 2024: Former Georgian PM pledges £8.4 million bonus for team after win over Portugal
Bidzina Ivanishvili, Georgia’s former prime minister, is celebrating the national football team’s surprise victory over Portugal at Euro 2024 with a hefty financial reward.
Following Georgia’s 2-0 triumph, Ivanishvili pledged a £8.4 million ($10 million USD) bonus to the team and coaching staff. This windfall comes after Georgia, managed by French legend Willy Sagnol, secured a spot in the knockout stages where they’ll face Spain.
The 68-year-old billionaire, founder of Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream party, is known for his philanthropic endeavours. The donation will reportedly be made through his charitable foundation.
Ivanishvili, who amassed his wealth in Russia through investments in various sectors, briefly served as Georgia’s Prime Minister in 2012 before stepping down. Despite this, he remains an influential figure within the party as its honorary chairman.
This act of generosity comes amidst a backdrop of tension between some national team players and the Georgian Dream party. In April, several players voiced their disapproval of a newly enacted law on “foreign agents,” which critics believe restricts civil liberties.
Georgia, competing in their first-ever European Championship, now set their sights on Spain in a knockout stage clash this Sunday.
