Georgia international goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili said on Monday during his first official interview with his new club Liverpool that he is very happy and proud to be the first Georgian player in the club's history.

Mamardashvili said in the interview that it was a very happy and dream-come-true moment to join Liverpool. He is proud to be the first Georgian player in the Reds' club history and hoped that he could leave a positive and huge impression for the team.

He said: "I am very happy and very excited to be here. This is an important moment for me, because joining a club like Liverpool is not just a transfer for me, but a dream come true. I feel ready, motivated and proud."

"Last summer, when I agreed to Liverpool's offer, I felt that a big thing in my life was about to begin. But now I really understand what it means to be a Liverpool player."

"When I first came here, the club was in a very difficult time (legendary Portugal international forward Diogo Jota and his younger brother André Silva were tragically killed in a car accident), but everyone here supports each other and I feel like a big family here. We are not just a group, but also a team." 

"I didn't have the chance to play with him (Jota), but I played against him at Euro 2024, so I saw what a great player he was. I saw the stories, the messages and the love from the people around him. I could see what a great person he is off the pitch as well." 

"Of course, it was different after watching all the Liverpool games last year, I felt like I was already part of the team." 

"Of course, it was great to see the fans celebrate winning the title together. It reminded us how much Liverpool means to so many people." 

"Of course, I'm proud to be the first Georgian player in Liverpool's history, and I know it's a great thing for my family and Georgia." 

"I will never forget this day, the day I signed for Liverpool. The reaction in Georgia was amazing, I received so many messages, everyone was happy and excited. "

"I started my career in Georgia, on those small stadiums there. I played in the first division for three years and gradually became a member of the national team. At the age of 20, I had the opportunity to go to Spain, where I started a new life, a new language, a new culture and new people. The first year was really difficult for me. "

"Valencia played a very important role in my life because I didn't speak Spanish or English, and as I said before, my first year there was very difficult. It was difficult. But then I soon realized that if I wanted to play football, I had to learn, I had to adapt, and I had to work hard to improve myself every day. Now, I have come to the greatest club in the history of the Premier League. ”

“When I was a child, I always watched some goalkeepers’ match highlights on YouTube, and I also remember some Liverpool goalkeepers. I remember Jerzy Dudek, then Pepe Reina, and now Alisson Becker. Liverpool has a long history of goalkeepers, and I want to try to write my own chapter in this history. ”

It is worth mentioning that Liverpool has never announced Mamardashvili’s contract length, but according to the news brought by The Athletic's resident renowned English Liverpool team correspondent James Pearce, the player has signed on a long-term six-year deal with the Reds which runs until the summer of 2031.

Mamardashvili has already made his Liverpool first-team debut in the pre-season friendly match away to Preston the day before yesterday.

About Giorgi Mamardashvili

The 24-year-old Mamardashvili was born on September 29, 2000 in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. He is 1.99 meters tall and plays as a goalkeeper. His father, Davit, is also a former professional footballer, who plays as a goalkeeper.

Mamardashvili joined the Garga youth academy at the age of 10, joined the Dinamo Tbilisi youth academy in 2012, and was promoted to the Dinamo Tbilisi first-team in January 2018.

In January of the following year, Mamardashvili was loaned-out to Rustavi, during which he helped the club successfully avoid relegation.

In January 2020, Mamardashvili was loaned-out to Locomotive Tbilisi, during which he won the Georgian Goalkeeper of the Year with his outstanding performances, and also attracted the attention of many La Liga clubs. He was also selected as one of the 50 best goalkeepers wonderkids by UEFA.

In January of the following year, Mamardashvili joined Valencia for €1 million.

In August last year, Liverpool signed Mamardashvili for €35 million and loaned him back to Valencia.

During his four-year spell as a member of Los Che, so far, Mamardashvili has played 134 times for the La Liga club across all competitions, conceded 160 goals, kept 39 clean sheets, and reached the Copa del Rey final once with the club.