Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Active- Denomination or tradition
- Orthodox
- Current or last club
- Paris Saint-Germain
- Country (nationality)
- Georgia
- League or competition
- Ligue 1
- Position
- Left winger
- How is the religion known?
- Stated publicly by the player
- Last checked
- 8 October 2026
Kvaratskhelia and his partner, Nitsa Tavadze, received a personal blessing from Ilia II, the Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church. Kvaratskhelia described the encounter as one of the happiest days of his life.
We list a player’s religion only where they have spoken about it publicly or it has been reliably reported, and we link our sources. If something is wrong, or a player’s views have changed, please tell us and we will review it.
Table of Contents
What religion is Khvicha Kvaratskhelia?
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is a Georgian professional footballer who is a devout Orthodox Christian. His deeply held faith aligns closely with the strong Eastern Orthodox traditions of his home nation, where the Georgian Orthodox Church plays a major role in cultural identity.
While internet searches occasionally pop up from fans wondering if he practices Islam, these assumptions are incorrect. Kvaratskhelia frequently displays his Christian faith through his actions both on and off the pitch. In March 2023, Kvaratskhelia and his then-fiancée, Nitsa Tavadze, met with Ilia II, the Patriarch of All Georgia, to receive a formal spiritual blessing for their engagement.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia plays as a left winger for Paris Saint-Germain. He started his senior career with Dinamo Tbilisi at age 16, before moving to Rustavi for a half-season spell. He then moved through Russian football, where his combined three-year tenure at Lokomotiv Moscow and Rubin Kazan earned him two consecutive Russian Premier League Best Young Player awards. Following a short period back home at Dinamo Batumi, Kvaratskhelia signed for Italian side Napoli in 2022.
In his debut season in Italy, he helped the club secure their first Serie A title in 33 years, earning the league’s Most Valuable Player award and the nickname “Kvaradona” from supporters. French club Paris Saint-Germain signed him from Napoli in January 2025 for €70 million. With PSG, he has won back-to-back UEFA Champions League titles, two Ligue 1 championships, the Coupe de France, two UEFA Super Cups, and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup.
Internationally, Kvaratskhelia serves as the captain of the Georgia national team, having led them to UEFA Euro 2024, which marked the country’s first-ever appearance at a major international tournament.
Early life
Born on 12 February 2001 in Tbilisi, Georgia, Kvaratskhelia grew up in a footballing family. His father, Badri, was a professional footballer who played in Georgia and represented Azerbaijan internationally before retiring early due to a heart condition. His younger brother, Tornike Kvaratskhelia, also became a professional footballer, progressing through the Dinamo Tbilisi academy before joining the senior team. Kvaratskhelia began his own development by joining the Dinamo Tbilisi youth academy in 2012 at age 11, spending five years within the club’s youth setup before making his senior debut.
Club career
Kvaratskhelia made his senior debut for Dinamo Tbilisi on 29 September 2017 in an Erovnuli Liga match against Kolkheti-1913, recording an assist on his debut before later scoring his first senior goal against Shukura Kobuleti. After making five appearances, he transferred to Rustavi in 2018 for a reported fee of €180,000, staying for a half-season spell.
In February 2019, Kvaratskhelia joined Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow on loan, where he won the Russian Cup that season. Following the expiration of his loan, he signed a permanent five-year contract with Rubin Kazan at age 18. During his debut season, he was named the Russian Premier League’s Best Young Player and featured among L’Équipe’s top 50 players born in the 21st century. Across his combined tenure at Lokomotiv and Rubin Kazan, he won two consecutive Russian Premier League Best Young Player awards. Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Kvaratskhelia utilized FIFA regulations allowing foreign players to suspend their contracts in Russia. Rubin Kazan subsequently terminated his contract, and in March 2022, he returned to Georgia to sign with Dinamo Batumi for the remainder of the season.
Napoli
On 1 July 2022, Napoli signed Kvaratskhelia from Dinamo Batumi for a reported fee of €10 million plus up to €2 million in add-ons. He scored on his Serie A debut during a 5–2 victory over Hellas Verona on 15 August 2022 and scored twice a week later on his home debut at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in a 4–0 win against Monza, earning the Serie A Player of the Month award for August. He recorded an assist on his UEFA Champions League debut in a 4–1 victory against Liverpool on 7 September 2022 and scored his first tournament goal on 4 October in a 6–1 win over Ajax. Napoli secured the Scudetto that season, marking their first league title since 1990, with Kvaratskhelia being named Serie A’s Most Valuable Player.
His subsequent two seasons at the club were impacted by recurring disciplinary suspensions and fitness issues. Between March 2024 and January 2025, he sustained a succession of physical setbacks, including a muscle strain in March 2024, a thigh injury in April, a minor head injury in August 2024, a knee injury in December 2024, and a final muscle injury in January 2025 immediately prior to his transfer to Paris Saint-Germain. Despite these interruptions, he was named Georgian Footballer of the Year for four consecutive years from 2020 to 2023. Upon his departure, his overall career tally was 107 appearances, 30 goals, and 29 assists across all competitions.
Paris Saint-Germain
On 17 January 2025, Paris Saint-Germain signed Kvaratskhelia from Napoli for a reported fee of €70 million following a formal transfer request submitted amid stalled contract negotiations. He signed a contract running until June 2029, took the number 7 shirt previously worn by Kylian Mbappé, and became the first Georgian player in the club’s history.
In his debut half-season, he helped Paris Saint-Germain secure a treble, winning the Ligue 1 title, the Coupe de France, and the club’s first UEFA Champions League title after defeating Inter Milan in the final. During the 2025–26 campaign, Kvaratskhelia retained both the Ligue 1 title and the UEFA Champions League, while also winning the UEFA Super Cup, the FIFA Intercontinental Cup, and the Trophée des Champions. His individual performances earned him the 2025–26 UEFA Champions League Player of the Season award.
International career
Kvaratskhelia represented Georgia at various youth levels from the under-17 to under-21 teams before making his senior international debut in 2019. He served as the central figure during Georgia’s qualification campaign for UEFA Euro 2024, which marked the country’s first-ever appearance at a major international tournament. At the final tournament, he scored the opening goal in a 2–0 victory over Joao Felix‘s Portugal in the final group stage match, securing Georgia’s progression to the knockout stage for the first time in its history before a round of 16 elimination by Spain. Following Georgia’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Kvaratskhelia did not participate in the tournament finals.
Personal life
Kvaratskhelia married his partner, Nitsa Tavadze, in October 2023. The couple has one child, born in August 2024.
Sources
Sources are linked so you can check each claim yourself. Beliefs and public statements can change, so please check the source for the latest.
