# Zuriko Davitashvili

Zuriko "Zuka" Davitashvili (Order of Honor) (Georgian: ზურიკო დავითაშვილი, romanized: zurik'o davitashvili; born 15 February 2001) is a Georgian professional footballer who plays as a left winger for Ligue 1 club Saint-Étienne and the Georgia national team. He also plays as an attacking midfielder.

## Club career
### Early career

Davitashvili made his career debut for Dinamo Tbilisi on 29 September 2017 in a match against Kolkheti Poti. He came on the pitch in the 72nd minute.
In 2018, he moved to Locomotive Tbilisi. In the same year The Guardian named Davitashvili among 60 best young players worldwide.
As a distinguished player of the Georgian U17 team, he received a golden medal from the Football Federation. Тhis acknowledgement resulted from his highly prolific performance in two qualifying rounds of 2018 European U17 championship. Being captain of the team, he scored seven goals in six matches, including a poker against N.Macedonia.
A year later he was named as the best young Georgian football player of the season.

### Russia

On 29 June 2019, Davitashvili signed a three-year contract with Russian Premier League club Rubin Kazan. He made his Russian Premier League debut for Rubin on 15 July 2019 in the season opener against Lokomotiv Moscow, as a starter.
UEFA included Zuriko Davitashvili in the list of fifty young talents in early 2020.
On 20 August 2020, Davitashvili joined Rotor Volgograd on loan for the 2020–21 season. On 16 July 2021, his contract with Rubin was terminated by mutual consent. Four days later, he signed for Arsenal Tula.

### Return to Georgia

On 23 March 2022, Davitashvili signed with Dinamo Batumi. After the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, FIFA gave foreign players playing in Russia the permission to terminate their contract immediately.

### Bordeaux

On 2 September 2022, Davitashvili moved to Bordeaux on a one-year loan deal. His goal in a debut game helped his new club to secure victory over Dijon on 17 September. Following the 2022–23 season, the club exercised the option to purchase him on a four-year deal.
During his two-year tenure at Bordeaux, Davitashvili made 71 appearances, scoring 14 goals and providing 12 assists.

### Saint-Étienne

On 11 July 2024, Davitashvili signed for Ligue 1 club Saint-Étienne on a four-year contract, for a transfer fee of €5 million plus €1 million in potential bonuses. On 27 July, he made a debut in a friendly game against Villarreal, in which he scored a brace. On 5 October 2024, Davitashvili got himself on the scoresheet in an official league match as well. His hat-trick, the first delivered by a Georgian player in the French top league, sealed a 3–1 win over Auxerre. One of these goals was consequently voted goal of the month. Moreover, after two more goals scored against Angers on 26 October, Davitashvili was named Player of the Month by UNFP.

## International career

Before 2016, Davitashvili played for the Georgia under-17s. After 2017, he played for the Georgia under-19s. He made his debut for Georgia national team on 5 September 2019 in a friendly against South Korea, as a starter. Three days later in a friendly game against Bulgaria he netted his first goal.
Davitashvili took part in 2023 European U21 Championship, co-hosted by Georgia. His stunning solo goal scored against Netherlands in a 1–1 draw, which proved crucial for winning the group stage, was selected by UEFA among the top three goals of the tournament. For his display Davitashvili received the Player of the Match award.
Davitashvili appeared in Georgia's all matches both in the Euro 2024 qualifying stages and Euro 2024 championship. On 2 July 2024, along with other squad members he received the Order of Honour.

## Personal life

Zuriko Davitashvili is the son of former football player Suliko Davitashvili, who later became a football coach working with youth teams and at professional clubs such as Rustavi.
Zuriko has a sister and younger brother.
He got married in 2023. The birth of his son was announced in November 2023.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 9 March 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | Europe | Europe | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Dinamo Tbilisi | 2017 | Erovnuli Liga | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 6 | 0 |
| Locomotive Tbilisi | 2018 | Erovnuli Liga | 19 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 19 | 3 |
| Locomotive Tbilisi | 2019 | Erovnuli Liga | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 10 | 0 |
| Locomotive Tbilisi | Total | Total | 29 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 29 | 3 |
| Rubin Kazan | 2019–20 | Russian Premier League | 26 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 26 | 2 |
| Rubin Kazan | 2020–21 | Russian Premier League | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 |
| Rubin Kazan | Total | Total | 28 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 2 |
| Rotor Volgograd (loan) | 2020–21 | Russian Premier League | 20 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 20 | 0 |
| Arsenal Tula | 2021–22 | Russian Premier League | 20 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 23 | 4 |
| Dinamo Batumi | 2022 | Erovnuli Liga | 14 | 6 | — | — | 4 | 1 | 18 | 7 |
| Bordeaux (loan) | 2022–23 | Ligue 2 | 30 | 5 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 32 | 6 |
| Bordeaux | 2023–24 | Ligue 2 | 37 | 8 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 39 | 8 |
| Saint-Étienne | 2024–25 | Ligue 1 | 24 | 7 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 25 | 7 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 207 | 34 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 219 | 37 |
* ↑ Includes Georgian Cup, Russian Cup, Coupe de France
* ↑ Two appearances and one goal in the UEFA Champions League, two appearances in the UEFA Europa Conference League

### International

    As of match played 19 November 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Georgia | 2019 | 2 | 0 |
| Georgia | 2020 | 4 | 0 |
| Georgia | 2021 | 8 | 2 |
| Georgia | 2022 | 8 | 1 |
| Georgia | 2023 | 10 | 3 |
| Georgia | 2024 | 12 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 44 | 6 |
Source
    Scores and results list Georgia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Davitashvili goal.
List of international goals scored by Zuriko Davitashvili :
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1. | 8 September 2021 | Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria | Bulgaria | 1–4 | 1–4 | Friendly |
| 2. | 12 October 2021 | Fadil Vokrri Stadium, Pristina, Kosovo | Kosovo | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 3. | 5 June 2022 | Huvepharma Arena, Razgrad, Bulgaria | Bulgaria | 1–0 | 5–2 | 2022–23 UEFA Nations League C |
| 4. | 17 June 2023 | AEK Arena, Larnaca, Cyprus | Cyprus | 2–1 | 2–1 | UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying |
| 5. | 12 October 2023 | Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi, Georgia | Thailand | 1–0 | 8–0 | Friendly |
| 6. | 12 October 2023 | Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi, Georgia | Thailand | 6–0 | 8–0 | Friendly |

## Honours

Georgia U17
* Kazakhstan President Cup runner-up: 2017
Individual
* Kazakhstan President Cup top scorer: 2017
* U19 Player of the Year in Georgia: 2018
* Best Georgian Young Player: 2019
* Order of Honour: 2024
* UNFP Ligue 1 Player of the Month: October 2024
* Ligue 1 Goal of the Month: October 2024