Georges Mikautadze

Georges Mikautadze  (გიორგი მიქაუტაძე ; born 31 October 2000) is a Georgian professional footballer who plays as a forward for  club Lyon and the Georgia national team.

Early career
Mikautadze started taking first steps in football at Gerland before he joined the academy of Olympique Lyonnais. In 2016, he moved to FC Metz's football academy.

Mikautadze made his professional debut with Metz in a 4–1 Ligue 1 loss to Nice on 7 December 2019. On 10 December 2019, he signed his first professional contract with Metz which was a four-year deal. He struggled to make an impact in his first season in France, playing mostly for the reserve team.

Seraing
In June 2020, Mikautadze was one of six Metz players to join Belgian First Division B side Seraing on loan. After his first nine matches with Seraing, he had scored 15 times, including four on his debut against Lommel. Overall, with 19 goals he became a joint topscorer of the season. He netted three goals in an aggregate 6–3 play-off victory over Waasland-Beveren. For his contribution to Seraing's successful league campaign, Mikautadze was named in Team of the Season and was awarded the Métallo d'Or, the title annually given to the best Seraing player, after the fans had voted for him.

On 30 August 2021, he returned to Seraing on another loan, with the club now promoted to the Belgian top tier. The team ended up in the relegation zone, although it remained in the league due to the only goal scored by Mikautadze in the play-offs against Molenbeek.

Metz
In the summer of 2022, Mikautadze returned to Metz. After being a nominee for the award in August, by March 2023 Mikautadze was the leading goalscorer of the league, and the National Union of Professional Players (UNPF) named him Player of the Month. Having added nine more goals in April and May, he was selected in Team of the Week six times in a row during this period. By the end of the season he was the top goalscorer and best player of the league.

With Metz promoted to Ligue 1 in 2023–24, Mikautadze started the new season by scoring twice against Marseille and Clermont and providing an assist in the opening game against Rennes.

Ajax
On 30 August 2023, Eredivisie club Ajax announced the signing of Mikautadze on a five-year contract for a reported fee of €16 million, potentially rising to €19 million with add-ons. He made his debut, starting and playing the full game, in a 0–0 draw away at Fortuna Sittard. Mikautadze made his European debut in Ajax's 2–0 defeat against Brighton at the Amsterdam Arena. During the first half of the 2023–24 campaign, Mikautadze made just nine appearances in all competitions for Ajax, failing to score a goal.

Return to Metz
On 4 January 2024, Mikautadze returned to Metz, arriving on loan from Ajax until the end of the 2023–24 season. The deal included an option-to-buy, reported to be around €10 million.

He failed to score in his first five games, but then netted ten in as many matches, scoring his first goal since returning to the club in a 2–1 defeat to Lyon as well as a brace in a vital 2–1 win over Lens, another goal against Clermont, a penalty against Nantes, a brace in a 4–3 defeat to Champions League-chasing Brest, the only goal in a 1–0 win over Le Havre, a penalty in a 2–1 defeat to Lille and a lob over Steve Mandanda in a 3–2 defeat against Rennes where Mikautadze got a controversial red card which was overturned by appeal. In mid-April, Get French Football News found it incredible that a player with only 15 appearances in Metz's 29 matches accounted for 30% of the goals scored by the team.

Three times during this season, namely in August, February and April, Mikautadze was voted Player of the Month by Metz fans. He eventually concluded the second half of the 2023–24 season by scoring 13 goals in 20 matches; however, his team was relegated following their defeat in the playoffs against Saint-Étienne.

Lyon
On 18 July 2024, despite having reached an agreement with AS Monaco previously, Mikautadze broke the deal and signed for his former club Olympique Lyonnais on a four-year deal, for an initial €18.5 million, which could rise to €23 million in potential add-ons.

International career
Mikautadze received a first call-up for the Georgia national team from French coach Willy Sagnol in March 2021. He told the press that he had been dreaming about playing for Georgia since his childhood.

Mikautadze made his debut with the Georgia national team in a 1–0 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification loss to Sweden on 25 March 2021. In June 2021, he netted his first international goal in a 2–1 away friendly win against Romania. On 12 October 2023, Mikautadze scored four goals, his first international hat-trick and poker, in an 8–0 win against Thailand, the record win of the Georgia national team.

During Georgia's UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying campaign, Mikautadze scored three goals in ten matches (including the play-offs), recording two against Cyprus and an equaliser against Norway, contributing to his country's first-ever qualification to a major tournament. He would then be selected in Georgia's 26-man squad for the final tournament in Germany. On 18 June, Mikautadze scored his nation's first goal in the European competition, by netting the equaliser against Turkey in Georgia's opening match, which ended in a 3–1 defeat. Four days later, he scored a penalty in his side's second group match, a 1–1 draw against the Czech Republic. On 26 June, Mikautadze scored another penalty in a 2–0 victory over Portugal, securing his nation's qualification to the knockout stage as one of the best third-placed teams, and concluding the group stage as top scorer in the competition with three goals in total. Following the conclusion of the tournament, Mikautadze finished level with five other players on three goals, and thus shared the top scorer award.

Personal life
The Mikautadze family moved from Georgia to France in the late 1990s. Mikautadze was born and raised in France, visiting Georgia only during summers. His parents taught him the Georgian language, which he speaks with his family.

International

 * Scores and results list Georgia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Mikautadze goal.

Honours
Individual
 * Ligue 2 Player of the Year: 2022–23
 * UNFP Ligue 2 Team of the Year: 2022–23
 * UEFA European Championship top scorer: 2024 (shared)