Valerian "Vako" Gvilia (Georgian: ვალერიან "ვაკო" გვილია, pronounced [valeɾian vakʼo ɡʷilia]; Ukrainian: Валеріане Ярославович Гвілія; born 24 May 1994) is a Georgian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder. He also has Ukrainian citizenship. Besides Ukraine, he has played in Belarus, Switzerland, and Poland.[2]

Valerian Gvilia
Gvilia with Ukraine U21 in 2015
Personal information
Full name Valerian Yaroslavovych Gvilia
Date of birth (1994-05-24) 24 May 1994 (age 30)
Place of birth Zugdidi, Georgia
Height 1.82 m (5 ft 11+12 in)[1]
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
2011–2014 Metalist Kharkiv
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2015 Metalurh Zaporizhya 26 (1)
2016 Minsk 15 (4)
2016–2017 BATE Borisov 23 (5)
2018–2019 Luzern 23 (2)
2019Górnik Zabrze (loan) 17 (1)
2019–2021 Legia Warsaw 54 (8)
2021–2023 Raków Częstochowa 22 (0)
2024 Piast Gliwice 2 (0)
International career
2015 Ukraine U21 4 (0)
2016 Georgia U21 4 (0)
2016–2022 Georgia 44 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 8 April 2024

Club career

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Gvilia is product of youth team system Metalurh Zaporizhya. He made his Ukrainian Premier League debut for Metalurh entering as a second time playing against Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk on 15 August 2014.[3] Gvilia signed a contract with Belarusian club BATE Borisov in early July 2016.[4]

In January 2018, Gvilia signed a three-year deal with Swiss Super League side Luzern.[5]

From 2019 untl 2021, he played for Polish side Legia Warsaw, with whom he won two national championships.[6]

On 31 August 2021, he was announced as a player of the Polish vice-champion, Raków Częstochowa.[7] On 30 January 2023, having not made an appearance for the club since late August 2022, he terminated his contract by mutual consent.[8]

He remained without a club until 7 March 2024, when he joined Piast Gliwice on a deal until the end of the season, reuniting with his former Legia manager Aleksandar Vuković.[9] He made his debut as a late substitute in a 3–1 away loss against Legia on 17 March.[10] He made one more appearance before leaving the club on 31 May upon the expiration of his contract.[11]

International career

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Gvilia was named in Georgia's senior squad for 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Republic of Ireland and Wales in October 2016.[12]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of 8 April 2024
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Metalurh Zaporizhya 2014–15 Ukrainian Premier League 12 0 2 0 14 0
2015–16 Ukrainian Premier League 14 1 1 0 15 1
Total 26 1 3 1 29 1
Minsk 2015 Belarusian Premier League 15 4 4 0 18 4
BATE Borisov 2016 Belarusian Premier League 14 4 14 4
2017 Belarusian Premier League 9 1 5 1 2 0 1 0 17 2
2018 Belarusian Premier League 1 0 1 0 2 0
Total 23 5 6 1 3 0 1 0 33 6
Luzern 2016–17 Swiss Super League 12 1 12 1
2018–19 Swiss Super League 11 1 2 1 2 0 15 2
Total 23 2 2 1 2 0 27 3
Górnik Zabrze (loan) 2018–19 Ekstraklasa 17 1 1 0 18 1
Legia Warsaw 2019–20 Ekstraklasa 35 8 4 2 8 1 47 11
2020–21 Ekstraklasa 19 0 1 0 3 0 0 0 23 0
Total 54 8 5 2 11 1 0 0 70 11
Raków Częstochowa 2021–22 Ekstraklasa 21 0 3 1 24 1
2022–23 Ekstraklasa 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 4 0
Total 22 0 3 1 3 0 0 0 28 1
Piast Gliwice 2023–24 Ekstraklasa 2 0 2 0
Career total 182 21 24 5 19 1 1 0 226 27

International goals

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Scores and results list Georgia's goal tally first.[13]
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1
5 September 2017 Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria   Austria 1–0 1–1 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
2
16 October 2018 Daugava Stadium, Riga, Latvia   Latvia 2–0 3–0 2018–19 UEFA Nations League D
3
7 June 2019 Boris Paichadze National Stadium, Tbilisi, Georgia   Gibraltar 1–0 3–0 UEFA Euro 2020 qualification

Honours

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BATE Borisov

Legia Warsaw

Raków Częstochowa

References

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  1. ^ "Валериане Ярославович Гвилия". FC BATE Borisov official website. July 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  2. ^ Oferta Ferencvarosu była atrakcyjna, ale bardziej kręci mnie wyzwanie w Legii weszlo.com
  3. ^ Чемпіонат Прем'єр-ліги. 4 тур. Матч № 24 15.08.2014. (in Ukrainian). Official UPL Site. 16 August 2014.
  4. ^ "Валериане Гвилия — футболист БАТЭ". FC BATE Borisov official website. 4 July 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  5. ^ "VALERIANE GVILIA WECHSELT ZUM FC LUZERN" (in German). Luzern Official Statement. 30 January 2018.
  6. ^ "Gwilia został piłkarzem Rakowa". legia.net (in Polish). 31 August 2021.
  7. ^ "Walerian Gwilia w Rakowie". www.90minut.pl (in Polish).
  8. ^ "Valeriane Gvilia odchodzi z Rakowa" (in Polish). Raków Częstochowa. 30 January 2023.
  9. ^ "Walerian Gwilia piłkarzem Piasta!" (in Polish). Piast Gliwice. 7 March 2024. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  10. ^ "PKO Ekstraklasa 2023/2024 - Kolejka 25". 90minut.pl (in Polish). 17 March 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  11. ^ "Walerian Gwilia odchodzi z Piasta" (in Polish). Piast Gliwice. 31 May 2024. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  12. ^ "Expanded Squad Named for the Upcoming Qualifiers". gff.ge. 23 September 2016. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  13. ^ "Gvilia, Valerian". National Football Teams. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  14. ^ "Raków Częstochowa mistrzem Polski!". polsatsport.pl (in Polish). 7 May 2023.
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