Otar Kiteishvili (Georgian: ოთარ კიტეიშვილი; born 26 March 1996) is a Georgian professional footballer who plays for Sturm Graz in the Austrian Bundesliga.

Otar Kiteishvili
Kiteishvili with Sturm Graz in 2023
Personal information
Date of birth (1996-03-26) 26 March 1996 (age 28)
Place of birth Rustavi, Georgia
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Sturm Graz
Number 10
Youth career
2011–2013 Dinamo Tbilisi
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2018 Dinamo Tbilisi 98 (17)
2014Metalurgi Rustavi (loan) 17 (1)
2018– Sturm Graz 143 (29)
International career
2014–2015 Georgia U19 9 (3)
2015–2016 Georgia U21 14 (5)
2017– Georgia 34 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 April 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15:16, 17 October 2023 (UTC)

Club career edit

Dinamo Tbilisi edit

Kiteishvili began his career in Dinamo Tbilisi. In April 2014, he was sent on loan to League rivals Metalurgi Rustavi. He made his debut on 7 May in the eighth matchday of the Umaglesi Liga championship round against Sioni Bolnisi, netting his side's second goal after coming on as a substitute for Kakhaber Kakashvili in a 2–0 home win.[1]

In the winter break of the 2014–15 season, he returned to Dinamo Tbilisi. After playing 14 games for Rustavi in the top Georgian league in the first half of the season, he played as many games for Dinamo after his return.[2] Kiteishvili scored his first league goal for the club on 3 October 2015, which proved to be the match-winner in a 1–0 home win over Dinamo Batumi.[3]

Kiteishvili won the best Georgian young player's award twice in a row in 2015 and 2016.[4] Besides, the Football Federation named him in a symbolic team of the 2017 season.[5]

Being now Dinamo's captain at age 22, he was also recognized as the best player of part II in the 2018 Erovnuli Liga season.[6]

Kiteishvili made 98 league appearances for Dinamo Tbilisi, in which he scored 17 goals.[2]

Sturm Graz edit

On 31 July 2018, Kiteishvili moved to Sturm Graz in the Austrian Football Bundesliga, where he signed a four-year contract,[7] later extended until the summer of 2024.[8] He made his debut on 12 August in the third matchday of the domestic league against SKN St. Pölten, coming on as a substitute in the 68th minute for Lukas Grozurek of a 2–0 away loss.[9] On 2 December, Kiteishvili scored his first goal for Sturm Graz to secure the 3–0 final score in a victory against Wolfsberger AC.[10][11]

Оn 30 April 2023 he won the first trophy with this club following a 2–0 Cup victory over Rapid Vienna.[12]

Career statistics edit

Club edit

As of match played 19 April 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Metalurgi
(loan)
2013–14 Umaglesi Liga 3 1 3 1
2014–15 14 0 2 0 16 0
Total 17 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 19 1
Dinamo Tbilisi 2014–15 Umaglesi Liga 14 0 4 0 18 0
2015–16 27 4 6 0 2 0 1[a] 0 36 4
2016 14 1 3 4 6 1 23 6
2017 25 1 3 0 28 1
2018 18 11 1 1 2 0 21 12
Total 98 17 17 5 10 1 1 0 126 24
Sturm Graz 2018–19 Austrian Bundesliga 31 4 1 0 32 4
2019–20 31 6 4 1 2 0 37 7
2020–21 26 7 1 0 27 7
2021–22 14 1 2 1 4 2 20 4
2022–23 20 6 4 0 5 1 29 7
2023–24 21 4 2 1 11 1 34 6
Total 143 28 14 3 22 4 179 35
Career total 258 46 33 8 32 5 1 0 324 59
  1. ^ Appearance in Georgian Super Cup

Source

International edit

Kiteishvili made his debut for the Georgia national football team on 23 January 2017 in a friendly against Uzbekistan.[13]

Scores and results list Georgia's goal tally first.
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1
9 June 2022 Toše Proeski Arena, Skopje, North Macedonia   North Macedonia 3–0 3–0 2022–23 UEFA Nations League C
2
15 October 2023 Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi, Georgia   Cyprus 1–0 4–0 UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying

Honours edit

Dinamo Tbilisi

Sturm Graz

Individual

  • Best Georgian young player: 2015, 2016

References edit

  1. ^ "Metalurgi Rustavi vs. Sioni – 7 May 2014 – Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Georgia – O. Kiteishvili – Profile with news, career statistics and history – Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  3. ^ "Dinamo Tbilisi vs. Dinamo Batumi – 3 October 2015 – Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  4. ^ "ზედიზედ მეორედ – ოთარ კიტეიშვილი საქართველოს 2016 წლის საუკეთესო ახალგაზრდა ფეხბურთელია!". sportall.ge (in Georgian). 28 December 2016.
  5. ^ "GFF AWARDS 2017-ის სრული სია". 1tv.ge (in Georgian). 28 December 2017.
  6. ^ "ოთარ კიტეიშვილს ავსტრიაში წასვლამდე კუთვნილი ჯილდო გადასცეს..." sportall.ge (in Georgian). 30 July 2018.
  7. ^ "Ein Georgier für Sturm Graz". SK Sturm Graz (in German). 31 July 2018.
  8. ^ "ოფიციალურად: ოთარ კიტეიშვილმა "შტურმთან" კონტრაქტი გაახანგრძლივა". worldsport.ge (in Georgian). 16 July 2021.
  9. ^ "St. Pölten vs. Sturm Graz – 12 August 2018 – Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  10. ^ "Premierentreffer für Lema und Kiteishvili". Sky Sport Austria (in German). 2 December 2018.
  11. ^ "Sturm Graz vs. Wolfsberger AC – 2 December 2018 – Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  12. ^ "Final-Triumph über Rapid Wien: Sturm Graz krönt sich zum ÖFB-Cup-Sieger". tt.com (in German). Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  13. ^ "Uzbekistan draws with Georgia in friendly". The Tashkent Times. 24 January 2017.

External links edit