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Paris Saint-Germain's Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has revealed that former Real Madrid midfielder Guti was his childhood hero, with the pair having since swapped jerseys.
Kvaratskhelia has established himself as one of Europe's most exciting attacking players, having claimed the Champions League title with PSG last season.
The 25-year-old rose to prominence at Napoli, where he lifted the Serie A trophy, before making a move to the French capital for €80 million ($93 million) at the beginning of 2025.
His qualities as a dynamic wide attacker — boasting exceptional dribbling ability and a sharp eye for goal — have drawn comparisons to some of football's greatest ever players. Yet it was Madrid legend Guti who served as an early idol for Kvaratskhelia, who even hand-wrote the playmaker's name on one of his own shirts.
Kvaratskhelia: 'Guti Was My Idol'
Legends doing legendary things!@GUTY14HAZ 👌 Zidane #RealMadridSevillaFC pic.twitter.com/FD7zgfmdnn
"When I was a kid, I loved Guti," he told DAZN ahead of PSG's victorious Champions League semifinal second leg against Bayern Munich.
"You know, I used to watch his games and I really liked the way he thought about the game, the passes he made … so he was my idol. I even had a shirt that I wrote 'Guti' on myself with a marker, and I used to play in it. So yes, he was my idol and I respect him a lot."
A graduate of La Fábrica, Guti made more than 500 appearances for Real Madrid between 1995 and 2010, claiming three Champions League titles and five league championships as part of an impressive collection of 15 trophies.
He was regarded as an unpredictable and gifted playmaker capable of filling multiple roles, whose technical brilliance and knack for creating goals made him stand out from the crowd.
In response to Kvaratskhelia's kind words, Guti disclosed that the two have been in touch via social media and have even traded jerseys with one another.
He said: "We've had some good times together. I gave him one of my jerseys, and he gave me one of his, which I have at home. We've been able to talk on Instagram, and I'm very happy with the progress he's making. There was talk that he could have come to Real Madrid or Barcelona.
"I think he's a fantastic player, very decisive with his goals, and when he feels comfortable, like he is at PSG. He's a top player."
PSG Star's Real Madrid Dreams
Guti is not the only former Madrid icon that Kvaratskhelia has looked up to. During Euro 2024, he told the media ahead of Georgia's clash with Portugal that Cristiano Ronaldo was his "boyhood idol."
He explained: "I always dreamt of playing with him. He does not play in Europe anymore, so I'm so glad to have this chance to play against him."
Meanwhile, back in 2023 prior to his switch to PSG, Kvaratskhelia's father disclosed that his son grew up supporting Real Madrid.
He said: "Khvicha always dreamed and still dreams of playing for Real Madrid. I'm sure of that ... "In my family, everyone is a Real Madrid fan, except me."