FIFA to review proposal to expand 2030 World Cup to 64 teams
FIFA will review a proposal to expand the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams, marking the tournament’s centenary.
At just 17, Vakhtang Salia is set to swap Dinamo Tbilisi for Newcastle United, marking a major step in his career. The young striker, inspired by Georgian stars like Kvaratskhelia, will move to England in August, hoping to shine in the Premier League and one day represent his national team.
Georgian Vakhtang Salia may only be 17-years-old but he will soon be trading Dinamo Tbilisi's training ground for Newcastle United’s famous St James' Park stadium.
The striker, known as Vakho, was with his friends when he heard he would be moving to Premier League Newcastle. He will relocate to England near his 18th birthday in August.
For the young prospect, who started playing aged four and debuted for Dinamo Tbilisi in Georgia's top flight only a year ago, signing for a Premier League club is a dream come true.
“I couldn’t believe it. But I can’t believe it right up until now. It’s my dream to play there," he said.
Salia is part of a rising generation of young Georgian players who have given the South Caucasus country of 3.7 million, which gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, a spot on the world soccer map.
Salia told Reuters that among the players he most admires are Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Georges Mikautadze, who shone during the Euro 2024 campaign, Georgia's first major tournament. They lost to eventual champions Spain in the last 16.
The Euros saw Georgia, the lowest-ranked team in the tournament, win 2-0 against a Portugal side captained by Cristiano Ronaldo, another of Salia’s soccer idols, in the group stage with goals from Kvaratskhelia and Mikautadze.
Salia also hopes to play for Georgia one day.
“Football in Georgia now is getting bigger," he said. "It’s every Georgian’s dream for Georgia to play in the World Cup and the Euros. And I hope that I'll play one day in the national team, too."
Dinamo Tbilisi head coach Vladimer Kakashvili said that Salia has every chance of becoming as good a player as his more established countrymen, even if the Premier League is a step up.
“Undoubtedly, today English football is among the best in Europe, where there are very high speeds, very high physical standards, and Vakho will need a certain period to get used to that,” he said.
Salia’s career at Dinamo Tbilisi so far leaves him well placed to shine in England, added Kakashvili.
“When a footballer joins the main team at such a young age, it shows that he’s undoubtedly talented, that he undoubtedly works on himself, and that he is a professional of the highest level," he said.
“I think with his talent, strong work ethic, and dedication, he can play in any competition. It won’t be a problem.”
Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stated on Thursday that purchasing U.S. weapons does not pose a security risk for his country, but emphasized the need for Europe to reduce its reliance on American defense systems. His comments come amid growing discussions within Europe.
Mexican forces have dismantled a massive meth lab in Zacatecas, dealing a blow to a Sinaloa Cartel faction.
Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) pilots, monitoring a Chinese navy warship as it navigated Australian waters, were alerted to a live-fire exercise via a civilian radio broadcast, defense officials revealed on Tuesday.
Serbia’s parliament has officially accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Milos Vucevic, setting a 30-day deadline for the formation of a new government or the calling of snap elections.
A devastating overnight drone attack on Kyiv, attributed to Russian forces, resulted in the deaths of three people, including a five-year-old child, and left ten others injured.
Kabul, Afghanistan - Climate change has become a critical destabilizing factor in Afghanistan, worsening the country's already severe economic and social instability.
U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz admitted on Tuesday that he created the Signal chat where sensitive details about U.S. strikes on Yemen were shared — and called the episode “embarrassing.”
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra will face a no-confidence vote in parliament on Wednesday, marking an early test of the strength and unity of her ruling coalition after two days of fierce opposition scrutiny.
Signal president Meredith Whittaker has defended the platform’s security after senior Trump administration officials mistakenly included a journalist in a private Signal group chat discussing U.S. military action against Yemen’s Houthis.
Russia and Ukraine have agreed to suspend attacks on key energy infrastructure for 30 days, according to a statement published by the Kremlin on Tuesday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment