Georgia dismisses Sagnol after Nations League defeat

Willy Sagnol has been dismissed as coach of Georgia following the team’s 1-0 home defeat by Northern Ireland in its opening Nations League match, the Georgian football federation announced on Saturday. The federation said Ramaz Svanadze would take charge of the national team through the end of 2028. Svanadze previously managed Georgia’s under-21 side and reached the European Championship finals with the team on two occasions.

Sagnol, a former France international and Bayern Munich right-back, became Georgia coach in February 2021. Under his leadership, Georgia reached the European Championship for the first time three years later. The federation thanked Sagnol for his work and for the experiences shared during what it described as a historic period for the national team.

It did not provide further reasons for ending his tenure beyond announcing the change after the Northern Ireland result. The defeat was Georgia’s first match in the Nations League campaign. The result came at home, where Sagnol’s side began its latest attempt to compete successfully in the European international competition.

Svanadze now moves from the under-21 programme to the senior team. The federation’s announcement sets the length of his appointment at the end of 2028, placing him in charge of the team for the remainder of the current Nations League period and subsequent international commitments covered by that term. Sagnol’s departure ends a coaching spell that included Georgia’s first appearance at a European Championship.

The federation’s decision means the team will begin its next phase under a Georgian coach, with Svanadze assuming responsibility after the early Nations League setback.