Iva Gelashvili

Iva Gelashvili

Personal information
Date of birth	(2001-04-08) 8 April 2001 (age 23)
Place of birth	Tbilisi, Georgia
Height	1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s)	Defender
Team information
Current team	Iberia 1999
Number	5
Youth career
2010–2011	ABC Braník
2011–2015	Bohemians 1905
2016–2021	Sparta Prague
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2021–2022	Sparta Prague B	20	(1)
2022–	Dinamo Batumi	0	(0)
2022	→ Sioni (loan)	8	(0)
2023	→ Saburtalo (loan)	15	(1)
2023–2024	→ Spezia (loan)	9	(1)
2024–	Iberia 1999	11	(0)
International career^‡
2016–2018	Georgia U17	19	(0)
2018–2020	Georgia U19	12	(1)
2020–2023	Georgia U21	14	(0)
2023–	Georgia	1	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 December 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 28 December 2023

Iva Gelashvili (Georgian: ივა გელაშვილი; born 8 April 2001) is a Georgian footballer who plays as a defender for Iberia 1999 and the Georgia national team.

Career

Gelashvili started his career with Czech side Sparta Prague B, where he was regarded as a prospect.^[1]

In the summer of 2022, Gelashvili signed with Dinamo Batumi, although moved to Sioni on a loan deal.^[2] He started the next season at Saburtalo and opened his top-league goal account in a 3–3 draw against Samtredia.^[3]

Gelashvili took part in all four matches for Georgia U21s in the 2023 UEFA European Championship co-hosted by his country. Shortly he received a call-up to the senior national team and made his first appearance in a 8–0 win over Thailand as a starter.^[4]

On 23 August 2023, Serie B club Spezia announced the signing a year-long loan contract with Gelashvili.^[5] His injury-time header against Modena salvaged Spezia a point on 26 December 2023.^[6]

As his loan deal came expired, Gelashvili returned to Georgia the next summer and rejoined Iberia 1999.^[7]

Personal life

Gelashvili attended university in the Czech Republic.^[8]

Gelashvili is the younger brother of Georgian skier Jaba Gelashvili.^[9]

References

1. "Iva Gelashvili" (in Czech). eFotbal.cz. Retrieved 2023-10-12.
2. "ბათუმის გელაშვილი ივა დინამო ითამაშებს რიგებში". crystalsport.ge (in Georgian). 30 December 2022.
3. "Samtredia vs Saburtalo, statistics". soccerway.com. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
4. "Georgia vs Thailand match report". bbc.com. BBC. 12 October 2023. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
5. "ოფიციალურად: ივა გელაშვილი "სპეციას" ფეხბურთელია". sportall.ge (in Georgian). 23 August 2023.
6. "ივა გელაშვილმა სერია B-ში სადებიუტო გოლით "სპეცია" წაგებისგან იხსნა (+VIDEO)". worldsport.ge (in Georgian). Retrieved 28 December 2023.
7. "Iva is back". Iberia 1999. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
8. "ივა გელაშვილი სპარტას მთავარ გუნდში: ერთი დღით ადრე მითხრეს, სელტიკთან განაცხადში იქნებიო..." lelo.ge.
9. "Gelašvili: V Praze jsme žili kvůli lyžování" (in Czech). iDNES.cz. Retrieved 2023-10-12.