Khvicha Kvaratskhelia ya bayyana zaɓen Ballon d'Or a matsayin "wani abu na musamman," yana nuna alfahari da wakiltar Georgia a dandalin duniya yayin da ya karɓi kwatankwacin da aka yi tsakaninsa da ɗan wasan da ya rasu daga Ireland ta Arewa, George Best.
Dan wasan reshe na Paris St-Germain yana cikin 'yan wasan 30 da aka zaɓa don kyautar da za a bayar a ranar 26 ga Oktoba. Kvaratskhelia, wanda aka naɗa mafi kyawun ɗan wasa na kakar wasa a Champions League a 2025-26, ya ce zaben shi kaɗai yana da babbar ma'ana.
"Zama ɗaya daga cikin masu takara don Ballon d'Or, yana da daɗi a riga a kasance tare da waɗannan 'yan wasan a gasar. Ina jin cewa na riga na yi wani abu na musamman a shekara ta ƙarshe, ina farin ciki ƙwarai kuma mu jira mu ga abin da zai faru."
Ɗan wasan mai shekara 25 ya kuma yi tunani game da abin da hauhawarsa ta nuna ga ƙasarsa. "Ina farin ciki da wakiltar Georgia, ƙaramin ƙasa. Yara ƙanana sun san cewa ko da sun fito daga ƙaramin ƙasa, za su iya cimma waɗannan abubuwa," in ji shi.
Kwatankwacin da Best
Kafin wasan Nations League tsakanin Georgia da Ireland ta Arewa a ranar Juma'a, kwatankwacin Kvaratskhelia da George Best — wanda ya lashe Ballon d'Or a 1968 kuma mafi girman ɗan wasa da Ireland ta Arewa ta taɓa samar da shi — ya ja hankalin da yawa. Kvaratskhelia ya karɓe shi da farinciki.
"George Best? Na san shi, tabbas. Wasu mutane da wuri sun faɗa min cewa lokacin da nake wasa yana kama da shi. Ba ni da tabbas domin shi ɗaya ne daga cikin mafi kyawun 'yan wasa a tarihin ƙwallon ƙafa amma kwatankwacin yana ba ni daɗi kuma ina alfahari da shi."
Kocin Ireland ta Arewa Michael O'Neill, wanda ba a haife shi ba tukuna lokacin da Best ya lashe kyautar bayan nasarar Manchester United a European Cup, ya amince da kamanceceniyar ƙasashe biyu ƙanana da suka samar da 'yan wasa na matakin duniya.
"George Best mutum ne na tarihi a duniyar ƙwallon ƙafa kuma muna alfahari ƙwarai da shi domin ya fito daga Ireland ta Arewa. A hanyoyi da yawa, ya sanya ƙasarmu a taswira. Ina tsammanin Georgia tana cikin wannan yanayi yanzu da Kvaratskhelia wanda na yi imani ɗan wasa ne na matakin duniya."
O'Neill ya kuma gargaɗi game da barazanar da Kvaratskhelia ke wakilta a filin wasa. "A gare ni, shi ne mai yiwuwa ya kasance mafi kyawun ɗan wasa a Champions League kakar da ta gabata a cikin gasar gaba ɗaya. Dole ne mu ba shi kulawa ta musamman. Zai iya cinye wasan a lokaci ɗaya, ƙirƙira zaɓuɓɓuka da yawa, da ɗaga matakan ƙungiyarsa," in ji shi.
Sagnol na yaba masa da tawali'u
Kocin kasa na Georgia Willy Sagnol — tsohon mai tsaron baya na France kuma tsohon abokin wasansa a tawagar kasa da Zinedine Zidane wanda ya lashe Ballon d'Or a 1998 — ya yi yabo na musamman game da halayen Kvaratskhelia a tsakiyar haske na ɗaiɗaikun ɗan wasa.
"A mafi yawan lokuta a makonni da suka wuce, na ga 'yan wasa suna cewa 'ni ne mafi kyau, ni ne mafi kyau'. Khvicha bai taɓa faɗi haka ba kuma a saboda haka ina alfahari ƙwarai da zama kocin sa. Ba kawai ɗan wasa ne mai ban sha'awa ba, amma mutum ne mai ban sha'awa wanda koyaushe yana tunani game da ƙungiya ba kansa ba."
Sagnol ya ƙara da cewa tattaunawar Ballon d'Or ta rufe wasu lokuta ruhun gama-gari wanda ya yi imani ya kamata ya ayyana wannan lambar yabo, yana mai cewa ƙwallon ƙafa ya fi kyau lokacin da 'yan wasa kawai suka jira sakamakon maimakon yin kamfen a bainar jama'a. Ga Kvaratskhelia, kamar yadda ya bayyana, ƙwallon ƙafa tana magana da kanta.
