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Saba Kharebashvili in action for Georgia’s under-21s. | Credit: Domenic Aquilina/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Georgian football has arguably never been this good.
With Khvicha Kvaratskhelia leading the charge in Europe, the likes of Giorgi Mamardashvili and Georges Mikautadze have followed with big moves in the past two years.
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Saba Kharebashvili, however, might just be the nation’s most exciting prospect in a generation: here’s your two-minute scout report.
So… who exactly is Saba Kharebashvili?
Saba Kharebashvili celebrates with team-mates | Credit: Domenic Aquilina/NurPhoto via Getty Images
PROFILE
LB, LWB
Name: Saba Kharebashvili
Position/s: Left-back, left wing-back
Age: 17 (Born: September 3, 2008)
Nationality: Georgian
Height: 1.84m (6ft 0in)
Preferred Foot: Left
Current Club: Dinamo Tbilisi
Emerging from the same academy as Kvaratskhelia, left-back Saba Kharebashvili – or ‘Roberto Kharelos’, to coin him a ‘Kvaradona’ nickname – is already the youngest player to feature in a UEFA competition at just 15 years old and is regarded as one of the most sought-after teenagers on the continent, having become a regular for Dinamo Tbilisi. He’s already made his debut for Georgia’s senior side, naturally, becoming the Crusaders’ youngest-ever player, too.
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The 2008-born defender is a ‘unicorn’ profile of sorts: a proficient playmaker with a wand of a left foot, with a box-to-box engine and the build of a rugged centre-back. Hopes are understandably high for him, with the teenager himself said to be a huge Real Madrid fan, having grown up idolising Cristiano Ronaldo.
Kharebashvili’s strengths
Playmaking and delivery: It’s obvious from watching Kharebashvili that he was a midfielder at youth level, with his incisive passing, penchant for verticality and comfort in build-up all obvious from watching him at Dinamo. The teenager has exceptional vision, enjoys a raking diagonal and can deliver a cross with whip and pace, first time from tight angles – making him an excellent option from the dead ball, too.
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Acceleration and engine: Blessed with blistering speed, Kharebashvili is a weapon in transition, either attacking down a flank or using his recovery pace the other way. He has Kvaratskhelia’s ‘shuffly’ burst, offering intensity over short sprints – and he can go again and again, showing very little fatigue playing full games in men’s football.
Physique and strength: At 6ft tall at the age of 17 years old, the Georgian has towered over his peers from a young age. While most players with such proficiency on the ball are diminutive players who use low centres of gravity to shield the ball, Kharebashvili uses his frame to fend off challenges.
Tactical versatility: Nominally a left-back, such a blend of strengths makes Kharebashvili capable in several positions: but more importantly, he’s a ‘generalist’ of a left-back. He can stay back and operate on the first line of build-up, step into midfield and receive as an inverted full-back, and overlap down the flank, with a skillset comparable to the likes of Riccardo Calafiori or David Alaba.
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Precocious maturity: Having been around senior set-ups from an extremely young age and chosen as a captain of his country in various youth groups, Kharebashvili is incredibly mature and already hailed for his temperament. Arguably, perhaps, the surest sign that he can go to the very top.
Kharebashvili’s areas of development
Discipline: Though his interception numbers are superb, Kharebashvili can be impatient in his tackling, and with occasional lapses of concentration, there’s certainly a case that he’s more useful to a team in possession than out. He will naturally develop in time – especially when he steps up to higher levels – but don’t be surprised to see him lose runners and commit unnecessary fouls.
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Aerial duels: Despite his height, Kharebashvili isn’t particularly aggressive when it comes to winning headers. He could do with mastering the dark arts when it comes to aerial duels.
Two-footedness: Kharebashvili’s left foot is so good that he doesn’t use his right very often. It’s not exactly an issue for a left-back, but should he transition into midfield or become a centre-back in time, he’s going to have become a little more ambipedal.
Kharebashvili’s ceiling
MORE REPORTS
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Marco Palestra of Italy U21 during the UEFA Under21 EURO Qualifier betweenItaly U21 v Sweden U21 and ad hoc Arena im Ernst-Abbe-Sportfeld on October 10, 2025 in Cesena, Italy.
DEFENDERS Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Victor Valdepenas, Marco Palestra
Coaches, analysts and scouts alike clearly believe that the sky is the limit for Kharebashvili, who is already linked with a huge move to Western Europe when he turns 18 in September. With such a unique set of abilities, the only question mark remains how he can transition from Georgian football to one of Europe’s top five leagues and how quickly he can adapt to the rigours of a tougher environment. The signs are clearly good, however, given his incredible development thus far.