Bidzina Ivanishvili, the former prime minister of Georgia, has pledged to give £8.4 million to the national football team after their victory over Portugal at Euro 2024.
Managed by former French defender Willy Sagnol, Georgia defeated Portugal 2-0 in Gelsenkirchen on Wednesday, securing a spot in the last-16 stage where they will face Spain.
Ivanishvili, who founded the ruling Georgian Dream political party and served as prime minister in 2012, described the win against Portugal as a “historic and dream victory.”
The 68-year-old announced he would donate an additional £8.4 million (30 million Georgian Lari) to the team and coaching staff if they also defeat Spain.
Born in Georgia, Ivanishvili made his fortune in Russia during the 1990s through investments in banking, computers, and metals. His wealth is estimated by Forbes at around £3.87 billion, and the Georgian Dream party stated that the donations would come from Ivanishvili’s charitable foundation.
Although he stepped down as prime minister after just 12 months, Ivanishvili still wields influence within the ruling party as its honorary chairman.
In April, many players from Georgia’s Euro 2024 squad spoke out against the Georgian Dream party following the announcement of a law on “foreign agents.”
The law, enacted in parliament in June, sparked some of the largest protests seen in Georgia since it declared independence in 1991, with critics arguing that the bill threatened their civil liberties.
Competing at the European Championship for the first time, Georgia will face Spain in Cologne on Sunday at 8 pm BST.