Georgia's Mikautadze, Once a Disappointment, Leads Euro 2024 Golden Boot Race

 

Referred to as Metz's counterpart to Kylian Mbappe, the striker leads Germany in scoring following an outstanding group-stage performance.

Few would have imagined that tiny Georgia, competing in their first international tournament, would make it to the round of sixteen at Euro 2024, much less have the top goal scorer on their team by the end of the group stage. Georges Mikautadze was predicted by GOAL to be the breakout star of the European Championship. Still, after scoring three goals in as many games, he has likely exceeded even his expectations.

The striker, who is eligible to play for France but chose to represent Georgia instead after a media campaign in 2021, scored a goal in the opening match against Turkey to become his nation's first-ever primary tournament goal scorer. He then coolly converted penalty kicks in the draw with the Czech Republic and the thrilling 2-0 victory over Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal to secure the Caucasus nation's spot in the round of 16.

Apart from his goals, the 23-year-old has drawn attention with speed and cunning. After a turbulent few years, he is set for more incredible things after his current team, Metz, was relegated to Ligue 2. But what is the backstory of the top marksman in Euro 2024? Sporty3600 offers everything you need.

Where it all started: 

Although Mikautadze represents Georgia internationally, in 2000, he was born in Lyon, France. Though they would still teach their son in their native tongue, his parents moved there from war-torn Georgia in the late 1990s and would only spend the summers there.

His football career started in 2007 at FC Gerland, located in the south of the city in the shadow of the former Lyon stadium of the same name. He would probably spend seven years of growth at his local club after being spotted by the then-regular Ligue 1 winners.

Following his departure from Lyon in 2015 and a brief stint with the outlying Saint-Priest, Mikautadze would sign with his current club, Metz, 460 kilometers away, in 2017. He spent two years in the academy there, and after catching on, he was quickly promoted to the B squad, which competed in the French third division.

The moment of truth

Mikautadze made his senior debut against Nice in a seven-minute cameo in December of the 2019–20 season after his performance in the B team won him a spot in the main Metz squad for three games in a row. That wouldn't be a significant development because the forward would have to wait patiently to receive a shot at Metz.

Instead, Mikautadze's 20-year-old loan in Belgium proved to be a turning point; during his two seasons with Seraing, a team located outside of Liege, he showed signs of becoming a prolific goal scorer. Mikautadze began like he wanted to continue, scoring FOUR goals on his debut against Lommel, ultimately driving Seraing to promotion from the Belgian second division in his maiden campaign. He has 15 strikes after just nine games, including two more hat-tricks.

He would end the regular league season with 19 goals in 22 games despite a decline in his goal rate in the second part of the season. And when it meant most, he would step up to the plate. In a two-leg promotion/relegation playoff against Beveren, he scored twice and assisted as Seraing won 6-3 overall.

 

How things are progressing

Mikautadze, who scored nine goals in the Belgian Pro League and continued his rapid start with seven goals in his first ten appearances, was loaned back to Seraing for their promotion campaign. Mikautadze proved he could score in a top division in Europe. Though he could not save his team from finishing in the relegation playoff spot, he once again saved Seraing's bacon by scoring the solitary goal in two legs against Molenbeek.

The attacker was eventually allowed to start for Metz in 2022–23; it was just too bad for him that Les Grenats had lost in the previous season's Ligue 1 playoffs. However, he would make the most of the opportunity in Ligue 2, contributing 31 goals in 37 games during a fantastic individual campaign. He was voted player of the season and finished as the top scorer in the French second division, helping the team win promotion again.

A major European club saw potential in Mikautadze's performance in France and decided to pay €16 million (£13.5m/$17m) to bring him to Amsterdam for the summer of 2023. He said he "didn't hesitate for a second" when Ajax approached him. Still, he only made nine appearances in a bit-part role in the first half of the season as his significant move went wrong amidst the general mayhem at the Johan Cruyff Arena. Caretaker manager John van T Schip hinted in November that he was having trouble adjusting. "With him, he may still have to adapt to how we want to play as Ajax," he stated. How can you recover the ball if you lose it?

Furthermore, how will you exert pressure? He might require extra time for these. However, his ability to play football is evident."

The bold choice to loan Mikautadze back to Metz was made in January 2024; this move would set the stage for the extraordinary performance we have seen at the Euros. Back in familiar territory, he scored 11 goals, including a run of eight goals in seven games to close off the league season, nearly single-handedly saving Metz from relegation.

In April, Laszlo Boloni, the manager of the Metz, stated: "He lost quite a bit of his honor at Ajax." He's now rediscovering his health. A team with a goal scorer brings the entire group immense satisfaction. Although Mikautadze isn't Kylian Mbappe, he is Mbappe for FC Metz! But in the end, it was insufficient to prevent Saint-Etienne from defeating Les Grenats 4-3 on aggregate in the promotion/relegation playoff, despite another Mikautadze goal.

Greatest Advantages

Mikautadze scored three goals for Euro 2024; two of them were penalties. However, his first goal against Turkey was an instinctual first-time finish, showing he is a skilled penalty-box poacher who understands how to finish an opportunity. His pace and cunning are also impressive.

During his tenure at Seraing, the striker declared, "My finishing is my strong point." "My primary skill is my ability to dribble, accelerate, and shoot. That's what I've done since I was a young child. I'm used to playing as a No. 9, appearing in front of goal, setting up opportunities, and taking shots."

Remarkably, the Georgian striker can also play off his right or left foot because he practiced being two-footed as soon as he started playing. "Certainly, having two feet is a significant advantage," he stated in an interview following his Ajax signing. "Since I was a child, I would train my weaker left foot all the time, and little by little, my left foot would become equal to my right.

His versatility, which allows him to play both attacking midfield and across the front line, is also a significant asset. Emilio Ferrera, his former manager, called him "a phenomenon." According to Sporza, "He can score in all possible ways: in a moment, after a dribble, with a long shot, with the left, with the right... just not with his head."

Potential for development

At this early point in his career, Mikautadze has no apparent weaknesses in his game. However, Ajax manager Van't Schip referenced his pushing and off-ball play while explaining why he wasn't playing in Amsterdam. Ferrera also complimented the forward's ability to head, which is perhaps fair enough given his relatively small 5'8" body.

It may not be surprising that his positioning can be a little off, given his mobility and tendency to float around the frontline. This can also make him passive-defensive because he may need to be in the right location at the right moment.

What happens after that?

According to reports, Metz has already activated a €13 million (£11 million/$14 million) option to purchase Mikautadze from Ajax on loan; however, given his performances at Euro 2024 and Les Grenats' relegation to Ligue 2, he will almost definitely be transferred again for a healthy profit.

Though his hometown team, Lyon, and another Ligue 1 team, Lens, have previously been mentioned as having expressed interest in the striker, Monaco is rumored to have reached a verbal agreement with him and made an offer to Metz.

However, Mikautadze's form for his country in Germany will attract additional fans from across Europe's top leagues, so the principality club may need to react soon. As he competes for the European Championship Golden Boot, he will undoubtedly have high expectations. In the past, Wolves, Burnley, AC Milan, and Juventus have all been mentioned as possible destinations.

The player states that he has not yet chosen what to do next: "Hey everyone, here are some updates on my transfer. I am still deciding what club I want to join. He wrote, "I will be happy to announce my decision," earlier in June. He has proven he has what it takes to be a deadly marksman wherever he ends up.