Former Georgian national football team captain Giorgi Nemsadze dies aged 54

Former Georgia national team captain Giorgi Nemsadze has died at the age of 54.

Nemsadze played for several clubs during his career, including Dinamo Tbilisi, Guria Lanchkhuti and Shevardeni Tbilisi in Georgia, as well as Hamburger SV in Germany, Trabzonspor in Turkey, Grasshopper Club Zurich in Switzerland and Reggiana in Italy.

He also captained Scottish club Dundee before returning to Dinamo Tbilisi, where he ended his playing career.

Nemsadze made 69 appearances for the Georgia national team between 1992 and 2004, serving as captain in 42 matches.

In March 2011, he was appointed sporting director of Dinamo Tbilisi but left the club around 18 months later to pursue a coaching career.

From 2017, Nemsadze coached Georgia’s under-17 national team, working with a generation of players that included Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who went on to become one of the country’s leading footballers.