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Solomon Kvirkvelia

Saba Kvirkvelia
Kvirkvelia with Rotor Volgograd in 2021
Personal information
Date of birth (1992-02-06) 6 February 1992 (age 32)
Place of birth Samtredia, Georgia
Height 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
Dinamo Tbilisi
Number 5
Youth career
Gloria Samtredia
2005– Dinamo Tbilisi
Tengiz Sulakvelidze Academy Tbilisi
2009–2010 Zenit Saint Petersburg
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2017 Rubin Kazan 87 (3)
2012–2013Neftekhimik (loan) 18 (0)
2017Lokomotiv Moscow (loan) 12 (0)
2017–2021 Lokomotiv Moscow 68 (3)
2020–2021Rotor Volgograd (loan) 19 (0)
2021–2022 Metalist 1925 Kharkiv 6 (0)
2022 Gagra 12 (0)
2022–2023 Neftçi 33 (2)
2023–2024 Al-Okhdood 33 (1)
2024– Dinamo Tbilisi 13 (1)
International career
2009–2010 Georgia U-19 6 (0)
2011–2013 Georgia U-21 14 (0)
2014– Georgia 61 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12 December 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 6 October 2024

Solomon "Saba" Kvirkvelia (Order of Honor) (Georgian: სოლომონ "საბა" კვირკველია, romanized: solomon "saba" k'virk'velia, pronounced [solomon saba kʼʷiɾkʼʷelia]; born 6 February 1992) is a Georgian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Erovnuli Liga club Dinamo Tbilisi and the Georgia national team.

He has been twice named as Footballer of the Year in Georgia.[1]

Club career

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Rubin Kazan

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After spending a season with Zenit Saint Petersburg, Kvirkvelia joined another Russian club, Rubin Kazan in 2011. He made his Russian Premier League debut for Rubin Kazan on 22 July 2011 in a game against FC Terek Grozny.[2]

Lokomotiv Moscow

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In February 2017, Rubin Kazan and Lokomotiv Moscow agreed a loan deal for Kvirkvelia until the end of the 2016–17 season.[3] Kvirkvelia became a regular member of the team, participating 12 games until the end of the 2016–17 season. Lokomotiv won Russian Cup during this season, which was the first title for the Georgian with his new club.[4]

On 30 June 2017, he moved to Lokomotiv on a permanent basis, signing a four-year contract.[5]

Loan to Rotor Volgograd

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On 20 August 2020, he joined Rotor Volgograd on loan for the 2020–21 season.[6]

Move to Ukraine

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In October 2021, Kvirkvelia moved to the Ukrainian Premier League side Metalist 1925,[7] although his tenure was abruptly ended due to Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Gagra

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On 8 April 2022, Kvirkvelia returned to Georgia and signed with Gagra,[8] the first Georgian club in his career.

Neftçi

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On 4 July 2022, Neftçi announced the signing of Kvirkvelia on a two-year contract.[9] On 16 July 2023, Kvirkvelia left Neftçi after his contract was terminated by mutual agreement.[10]

Al-Okhdood

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On 15 July 2023, Kvirkvelia joined Saudi Pro League club Al-Okhdood on a free transfer.[11]

Dinamo Tbilisi

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On 2 September 2024, Dinamo Tbilisi announced the signing of Kvirkvelia on a contract until the end of the year.[12]

International career

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On an international level, he debuted for Georgia in a friendly match against Liechtenstein on 5 March 2014.

In 2011–13, Kvirkvelia was repeatedly called up to the U21 team. Having participated in 14 competitive games, he is among the five all-time most capped players.[13]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played 5 October 2024[14]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Rubin Kazan 2011–12 Russian Premier League 8 1 2 0 4[b] 0 14 1
2012–13 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
2013–14 18 0 1 0 3[c] 0 22 0
2014–15 29 1 3 0 32 1
2015–16 29 1 0 0 10[c] 0 39 1
2016–17 0 0 1 0 1 0
Total 87 3 7 0 17 0 0 0 111 3
Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk (loan) 2012–13 Russian National Football League 18 0 1 0 19 0
Lokomotiv Moscow 2016–17 Russian Premier League 12 0 3 0 15 0
2017–18 29 2 1 1 10[c] 0 1[d] 0 41 3
2018–19 30 1 5 0 5[b] 0 0 0 40 1
2019–20 9 0 1 0 1[b] 0 0 0 11 0
Total 80 3 10 1 16 0 1 0 107 4
Rotor Volgograd (loan) 2020–21 Russian Premier League 19 0 19 0
Metalist 1925 Kharkiv 2021–22 Ukrainian Premier League 6 0 1 0 7 0
Gagra 2022 Erovnuli Liga 12 0 12 0
Neftçi 2022–23 Azerbaijan Premier League 33 2 5 0 4[e] 0 42 2
Al-Okhdood 2023–24 Saudi Pro League 33 0 1 0 34 0
Dinamo Tbilisi 2024 Erovnuli Liga 5 1 1 0 6 1
Career total 293 9 26 1 37 0 1 0 357 10

International

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As of 6 October 2024[15]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Georgia 2014 7 0
2015 5 0
2016 8 0
2017 6 0
2018 7 0
2019 3 0
2020 5 0
2021 1 0
2022 6 0
2023 7 0
2024 6 0
Total 61 0

Honours

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Rubin Kazan

Lokomotiv Moscow

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "GFF Awards 2017". Georgian Football Federation (in Georgian). 27 December 2017.
  2. ^ "Game report by RFPL". Russian Premier League. 22 July 2011. Archived from the original on 7 August 2011.
  3. ^ FC Rubin and FC Lokomotiv made a loan deal for Kverkvelia
  4. ^ Lokomotiv win the 2017 Russian Cup Final in Sochi
  5. ^ Кверквелия перешёл в «Локо» (in Russian). FC Lokomotiv Moscow. 30 June 2017.
  6. ^ "Соломон Кверквелия стал игроком "Ротора"" (in Russian). FC Rotor Volgograd. 20 August 2020.
  7. ^ "Металлист 1925 подписал защитника сборной Грузии". football.ua (in Russian). 14 October 2021.
  8. ^ "ეროვნული ნაკრების მცველი, საბა კვერკველია, ოფიციალურად ჩვენი ფეხბურთელია" (in Georgian). Gagra. 8 April 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  9. ^ "Gürcüstan milli komandasının üzvü "Neftçi"də". neftchi.az/ (in Azerbaijani). Neftçi PFK. 4 July 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  10. ^ "Solomon Kverkveliya ilə müqaviləyə xitam verilib". neftchi.az (in Azerbaijani). Neftçi PFK. 16 July 2023. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  11. ^ "ادي #الأخدود يعلن التوقيع مع اللاعب الجورجي سولومون كفيركفيليا".
  12. ^ "საბა კვერკველია დინამოს ფეხბურთელია". facebook.com/DINAMOTB (in Georgian). FC Dinamo Tbilisi Facebook. 2 September 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  13. ^ "Georgia U21, statistics". uefa.com.
  14. ^ Solomon Kvirkvelia at Soccerway. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
  15. ^ "Kvirkvelia, Solomon". National Football Teams. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
  16. ^ ""Локомотив" – обладатель Олимп-Кубка России по футболу" [Lokomotiv is the winner of the Olimp-Russian Cup] (in Russian). Russian Football Union. 22 May 2019.
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