da mrbet： Described as Metz's answer to Kylian Mbappe, the striker is out in front as top scorer in Germany after an exceptional group stage

da bwin： Few would have predicted that minnows Georgia would reach the last 16 at Euro 2024 in what is their first major tournament, let alone that they would have the leading goal-scorer in their ranks at the conclusion of the group stage. GOAL earmarked Georges Mikautadze as a potential breakout star of the European Championship, but with three goals in as many games, he has surpassed expectation and probably his wildest dreams.

The striker – who is eligible for France but elected to play for Georgia after a media campaign in 2021 – netted a clinical finish to become his country's first-ever major tournament goal-scorer in their opener against Turkey, before coolly converting spot-kicks in the draw with the Czech Republic and the quite incredible 2-0 win over Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal that booked the Caucasus nation a place in the round of 16.

Away from his goals, the 23-year-old's pace and trickery have caught the eye, and after a rollercoaster few years he is destined for bigger things after his current club Metz suffered relegation to Ligue 2. But what is the story behind Euro 2024's leading marksman? GOAL has you covered…

Where it all began

Mikautadze may represent Georgia at international level, but he was born in Lyon, France, in 2000. His parents emigrated there from war-torn Georgia in the late 90s and would only return home in the summers, although they would teach their son his mother tongue.

His footballing journey began at FC Gerland in 2007, in the shadow of Lyon's former stadium of the same name in the south of the city. Perhaps inevitably, he was soon scouted by the then-serial Ligue 1 winners and would spend seven years of his development with his hometown club.

After leaving Lyon in 2015 and a brief spell with Saint-Priest on the outskirts of the city, Mikautadze would join current club Metz, 460km away, in 2017. There he would spend two years in the academy before swiftly being promoted to the B team – who play in the French third tier – having caught the eye.

AdvertisementGettyThe big break

In the 2019-20 season, Mikautadze's form in the B team earned him a place in the senior Metz squad for three consecutive games in December, and he would come off the bench to make his senior debut against Nice in a seven-minute cameo. That wouldn't end up being a major breakthrough, though, as the forward would be forced to wait patiently to get his chance at Metz.

Instead, it was a loan in Belgium when Mikautadze was 20 years old that proved to be a watershed; he spent two seasons with Seraing, on the outskirts of Liege, and demonstrated his potential to become a prolific goal-scorer. Eventually firing Seraing to promotion from the Belgian second tier in his first campaign, Mikautadze started as he meant to go on as he scored FOUR times on his debut against Lommel. After just nine games he had 15 strikes to his name, including a further two hat-tricks.

Although his goal rate would decrease in the second half of the season, he would still finish the regular league term with 19 goals in 22 games. And he would come up clutch when it mattered most, scoring twice and providing an assist across a two-legged promotion/relegation play-off against Beveren as Seraing triumphed 6-3 on aggregate.

GettyHow it's going

Mikautadze would be loaned back to Seraing for their promotion campaign, showcasing that he could score goals in a European top flight as he netted nine times in the Belgian Pro League, making another fast start with seven goals in his first 10 appearances. He could not prevent his side finishing in the relegation play-off place, but once again came up clutch with the only goal in two legs against Molenbeek to keep Seraing up.

The attacker returned to Metz for 2022-23 having finally earned the opportunity to be a starter – it was just unfortunate for him that Les Grenats had been relegated from Ligue 1 the previous season. Nevertheless, he would make the most of the platform in Ligue 2, making 31 goal contributions in 37 games in a stellar individual term as he once again played a huge role in a promotion campaign, finishing as the French second tier's top scorer and being named player of the season.

His form back in France piqued the interest of a European giant, with Ajax shelling out €16 million (£13.5m/$17m) to bring Mikautadze to Amsterdam in the summer of 2023. He said he "didn't hesitate for a second" when Ajax came calling, but his big move went awry amid the overarching chaos at the Johan Cruyff Arena as he made just nine appearances in a bit-part role in the first half of the season. In November, caretaker manager John van't Schip suggested he was struggling to adjust. "With him, he may still have to adapt to the way we want to play as Ajax," he said. "If you lose the ball, what do you do? And how are you going to apply pressure? These are things that he may need a little more time for. But it is clear that he can play football."

In January 2024 the drastic decision was taken to loan Mikautadze back to Metz – a move that would pave the way for the exceptional form we have witnessed at the Euros. He almost singlehandedly saved Metz from relegation as he scored 11 times back in familiar surroundings, including a run of eight goals in seven games to finish the league campaign.

Metz manager Laszlo Boloni said in April: "He lost quite a bit of his honour at Ajax. Now, he’s rediscovering his wellbeing. For the whole team, when you have a goal-scorer, it’s the most joyous thing. Mikautadze isn’t Kylian Mbappe, but he’s FC Metz’s Mbappe!” Ultimately, though, it was not enough to save Les Grenats, who were defeated 4-3 on aggregate by Saint-Etienne in the promotion/relegation play-off despite another Mikautadze strike.

Biggest strengths

Two of Mikautadze's three Euro 2024 goals have come from the penalty spot, but his first – an instinctive first-time finish against Turkey – demonstrated that he is a penalty-box poacher who knows just how to finish off an opportunity, while his pace and trickery are also eye-catching.

"My strong point is my finishing," the striker said during his time with Seraing. "Dribbling, accelerating and shooting: that's what I'm good at, that's my main quality. I've been doing that since I was a child. I'm used to playing as a No.9, appearing in front of goal, creating chances and shooting on goal."

The Georgian hitman also remarkably boasts the ability to play off either his left or his right, having worked on his two-footedness as soon as he was playing. "Yes, it's [two-footedness] a big advantage," he said in an interview upon signing with Ajax. "Since I was a child I would train my weaker left foot all the time, and little by little my left foot would become equal to my right."

Capable of operating across the frontline and in attacking midfield, his versatility is also a huge asset. His former manager Emilio Ferrera described him as "a phenomenon". Speaking to he said: "He can score in all possible ways: in a moment, after a dribble, with a long shot, with the left, with the right… just not with his head."