Biography
Who is Mikheil Kavelashvili?
Early football career
Mikheil Kavelashvili began his professional path in 1989 within the youth system of Dinamo Tbilisi. As a striker, he quickly became a key player for the club and helped them win the Umaglesi Liga in 1990, 1994, and 1995. His success in Georgia eventually led to a move to the Russian club Spartak Vladikavkaz in 1995, where he won the Russian Premier League.
In March 1996, he moved to England to train with Manchester City. He officially joined the Premier League side on 28 March 1996 for a fee of £1.4 million. He made an immediate impact by scoring during his debut in a Manchester derby against Manchester United. During his time with the club, he appeared in four Premier League matches and scored one goal.
Swiss football years
After his time in England, he played 24 matches and scored two goals in the Football League First Division. Due to work permit issues, he went on loan to Grasshoppers, where he won the Swiss Super League in 1998. This period marked the beginning of a long association with Swiss football clubs.
Mikheil spent much of his career playing for various Swiss teams including Zürich, Luzern, Sion, and Aarau. In 2005, he joined the first team at FC Basel under coach Christian Gross. He played 17 total games for the club, including three in the UEFA Cup, and scored four goals. He retired from professional football after his second season with Basel.
Political career and presidency
His transition into politics began in 2016 when he was elected to the Parliament of Georgia as a member of the Georgian Dream party. He secured re-election in 2020 before leaving that party in 2022 to co-found the People's Power party. This new political group was established as a satellite of the ruling party.
In late 2024, he became the candidate for the presidency of Georgia. He was the only person running for the position because the opposition chose to boycott the election. Following a vote by the electoral college, he was sworn in as the sixth president of Georgia on 29 December 2024. His election was disputed by the opposition and parts of the Western community. The European Parliament passed a resolution in February 2025 stating they do not recognize his legitimacy.
Birthday and age
Mikheil Kavelashvili was born on July 22, 1971, which makes Mikheil 55 years old today. That birthday falls under the Leo sign. Mikheil shares the date with 43 other famous people.
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