Described as Metz's answer to Kylian Mbappe, striker Georges Mikautadze tops the list as Germany's top goalscorer after a remarkable group stage with Georgia.
Few would have predicted that tiny Georgia would reach the last 1 at Euro 8 in what is their first major tournament, let alone that they would have the leading goalscorer in their ranks at the conclusion of the stage of groups.
media Goal.com earmarked Georges Mikautadze as a potential European Championship star, but with three goals in as many games, he has exceeded expectations and perhaps his wildest dreams.
Praise Pireva
Mikautadze - who was eligible to play for France but chose to play for Georgia in 2021 - scored a clinical finish to become his country's top scorer of the major tournament in their opening match against Turkey, before coolly converting penalty kicks in the draw with the Czech Republic and in the incredible 2-0 win over Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal that secured the Caucasus nation a place in the last 1.
Away from his goals, the 23-year-old's pace and 'tricks' have caught the eye, and after a few years of experience he is destined for bigger things after his current club Metz were relegated to Ligue 2. But, what is his story
Where it all began
Mikautadze may represent Georgia at international level, but he was born in Lyon, France, in 2000. His parents emigrated there from war-torn Georgia in the late 90s and would only return home in the summer, although they would teach their son the 'mother' language.
His football journey began at FC Gerland in 2007, in the shadow of Lyon's former stadium of the same name in the south of the city. Perhaps inevitably, he was quickly discovered by the then serial Ligue 1 winners and would spend seven years of his development with his hometown club.
After leaving Lyon in 2015 and a brief spell with Saint-Priest on the outskirts of the city, Mikautadze would join current club Metz, 460km away, in 2017. There he would spend two years in the academy before quickly being promoted to the B team - who play in the French third division - and catching the eye.
The big break
In the 2019/20 season, Mikautadze's B-team form earned him a place in Metz's squad for three consecutive games in December, and he would come off the bench to make his first-team debut against Nice in an appearance of seven minutes. However, this would not end up being much of a breakthrough, as the striker would be forced to wait patiently to get his chance at Metz.
Instead, it was a loan spell in Belgium, when Mikautadze was 20, that proved to be a watershed moment; he spent two seasons with Seraing, on the outskirts of Liege, and showed his potential to become a prolific goalscorer. Eventually leading Seraing to promotion from the Belgian second tier in his first season, Mikautadze got off to a flying start after scoring four times on his debut against Lommel. After just nine games he had 15 goals to his name, including two more hat-tricks.
Although his scoring rate would decrease in the second half of the season, he would still finish the league regular season with 19 goals in 22 games. And he would shine when it mattered most, scoring twice and providing an assist during a tie against Beveren as Seraing triumphed 6-3 on aggregate.
Mikautadze would be loaned back to Seraing for their promotion campaign, showing he could score goals in a European league after netting nine times in the Belgian Superliga, making another quick start with seven goals in his 10 appearances money. He couldn't prevent his side from finishing in the play-off spot, but once again stood out with the only goal in two games against Molenbeek to keep Seraing in the top flight.
The striker returned to Metz for the 2022/23 season, having finally earned the chance to start - it was simply a shame for him that Les Grenats had been relegated from Ligue 1 last season. However, he would make the most of Ligue 2, scoring 31 goals in 37 games in a brilliant individual season, as he again played a major role in a promotion campaign, finishing as the French second tier's top scorer and being named player of the season.
His form back in France piqued the interest of a European giant, with Ajax splashing out €16 million to bring Mikautadze to Amsterdam in the summer of 2023.
He said he "didn't hesitate for a second" when Ajax called him, but his big move went awry amid the chaos at the Johan Cruyff Arena as he made just nine appearances in a minor role in the first half of the season. In November, interim coach John van't Schip suggested he was struggling to adapt.
"He might still have to adapt to the way we want to play as Ajax. If you lose the ball, what do you do? And how do you press? These are things that he might need a little more time for. But it's clear that he can play football," he declared.
In January 2024, the drastic decision was made to loan Mikautadze to Metz - a move that would pave the way for the extraordinary form we saw at Euro 2024. He almost single-handedly saved Metz from relegation after scoring 11 times in familiar surroundings, including a run of eight goals in seven games to end the league season.
Metz coach Laszlo Boloni said in April: "He lost a lot of his honor at Ajax. Now, he is rediscovering his well-being. For the whole team, when you have a goalscorer, it is the most joyful thing. Mikautadze is not Kylian Mbappe, but he is the Mbappe of FC Metz!"
In the end, though, it wasn't enough to save Les Grenats, who were beaten 4-3 on aggregate by Saint-Etienne in the tie, despite another Mikautadze goal.
Strongest points
Two of Mikautadze's three goals at Euro 2024 have been from the penalty spot, but his first - an instinctive first-time finish against Turkey - showed he is a 'hunter' in the penalty area who knows just how to finish off an opportunity, while his pace and trickery are also eye-catching.
"My strong point is my finishing. Dribbling, acceleration and shooting: that's what I'm good at, that's my main quality. I have done this since I was a child. I'm used to playing as a No.9, appearing in front of goal, creating chances and shooting at goal," said the striker during his time with Seraing.
The Georgian 'assassin' also takes great pride in being able to play left- or right-handed, having worked with both feet while playing.
"Yes, I play with two feet. It's a big advantage. As a child I trained my weaker left leg all the time and little by little my left leg would become equal to my right," he said in the interview after signing with Ajax.
Able to operate across the front line and in attacking midfield, his versatility is also a great asset. His former manager Emilio Ferrera described him as "a phenomenon".
"He can score in all possible ways: in a moment, after a dribble, with a shot from distance, with the left, with the right... just not with his head," he told Sporza.
Room for improvement
Mikautadze has no obvious flaws in his game at this early stage of his career, but his Ajax boss Van't Schip alluded to his work without the ball and pressure in his assessment of why he wasn't getting minutes in Amsterdam. Ferrera also mentioned his ability to lead, but that's probably fair enough when you consider the striker's rather slight stature.
Given his agility and the fact that he likes to move across the frontline, it's perhaps not surprising that his positioning can suffer somewhat, and this can also contribute to him being a bit passive defensively as he may not be in the right place at the right time.
Metz are said to have already accepted a €13m option to buy Mikautadze's loan deal from Ajax, but are confident he will be sold again for a big profit following his exploits at Euro 2024 and Les Grenats' relegation to Ligue 2.
Monaco are said to have reached a verbal agreement with the striker and have made an offer to Metz, while Ligue 1 side Lens and his hometown club Lyon have previously shown interest.
However, the Principality club may need to move quickly, with Mikautadze's form for his country in Germany set to attract more admirers from across Europe's top leagues. Wolves, Burnley, AC Milan and Juventus have all been linked as potential destinations in the past, and he will certainly be aiming high as he battles for the European Championship's Golden Boot.
For what it's worth, the player himself claims he's still undecided about his next move.
"Hello everyone, just some news about my transfer. I still haven't made my choice for my next club. I will be pleased to announce my decision," he wrote earlier in June.
Wherever he ends up, he has demonstrated the potential to become a deadly shooter. /Telegraph/
