For some time now, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has been one of the most spectacular players to watch in world football. A highly skilful winger who plays with ferocious intensity, the 25-year-old is a full-back’s worst nightmare: agile and tricky in tight spaces, explosive over open ground.

Nicknamed ‘Kvaradona’ by adoring Napoli fans, who saw in the Georgian glimpses of their hero Diego Maradona, Kvaratskhelia has found an even higher level since moving to Paris. Already a box-office attraction for football diehards, he has put together a season, especially in the Champions League, that has made him a legitimate candidate for the Ballon d’Or.

Dominating Europe

With his minutes carefully managed in Ligue 1 — just 15 90s for Paris Saint-Germain — he has attacked Europe with all his energy. In the Champions League, he has scored 10 goals and set up six others, completed two dribbles per game, and decided big matches with jaw-dropping moments. He is the first player ever to contribute a goal or an assist in seven successive knockout fixtures of a single Champions League campaign.

“He is such an important player for us,” said PSG head coach Luis Enrique. “Not just for his abilities but for what he transmits as a player.”

Maradona isn’t the only iconic player Kvaratskhelia has drawn comparisons with. His quarterfinal performance against Liverpool, all darting runs and jinking feet, led the British press to liken his style of play to that of George Best, the late Manchester United great known for his phenomenal dribbling, amazing balance and eye-catching goals. A fine solo effort in the first leg, where he danced his way into the penalty box, evaded the Liverpool men trying to stop him, rounded the goalkeeper and slotted the ball home, would have won Best’s approval.

Kvaratskhelia had scored with a brilliant curler against Chelsea in the first leg of the last 16 and followed it up with another goal in the away leg as PSG routed the London side 8-2 on aggregate. Prior to that, it was a goal midway through the second half that turned the tide PSG’s way in a tough playoff against Monaco. As if those moments weren’t enough, Kvaratskhelia stepped up again in the semifinal against Bayern Munich, producing two defining performances.

In a pulsating first leg full of individual brilliance, which PSG won 5-4, Kvaratskhelia scored twice. For the first, he cut in past his marker from the left, created separation and found the perfect far-post finish. For the second, he arrived at exactly the right moment in the box, as a squared pass went past scrambling attackers and defenders, and timed his strike perfectly.

In the 1-1 second-leg draw, Kvaratskhelia showed the many other facets of his game. Released down the left flank with an excellent through ball, the Georgian accelerated into space, delayed just long enough to freeze the defence and cut the ball back for Ousmane Dembele’s goal.

While Dembele was taken off after an hour, Kvaratskhelia remained on the pitch to endure, resist and attack again. At times he looked exhausted, briefly bent over during defensive recoveries or dragging a ⁠leg after another sprint. Seconds later he would explode forward once more, an ever-present outlet. He won 11 of ⁠15 duels and completed six of seven dribbles. In a game largely spent defending ‌deep and attacking on transition, he shouldered a big burden.

Team over self

Kvaratskhelia’s ability to defend or attack with equal commitment and aplomb is symbolic of this PSG team and a far cry from the days of chasing big names and falling short on Europe’s biggest stage. Indeed, nobody fulfils coach Enrique’s relentless collective demands, on structure, sacrifice and intensity more willingly than the low-profile Georgian.

Kvaratskhelia is extremely hard-working without the ball, constantly pressing, tracking back and tackling. Effectively, this gives PSG two players in one: a game-breaking winger and a diligent auxiliary full-back. “I have really improved in defence with Luis,” he said. “In this team we need to defend like proper defenders. I will do everything for the team.”

It’s almost ironic that such a selfless team player is in contention for football’s biggest individual award. Dembele, his PSG teammate, won the Ballon d’Or last year, and Kvaratskhelia is making a case for it to remain in Paris, one way or another this year. Dembele, who is in the running, has the World Cup to strengthen his claim; Kvaratskhelia won’t have that opportunity in football’s global showcase, with Georgia not qualifying for the quadrennial event.

But the winger still has the Champions League final. Besides, he has already done enough over the season, drawing high praise not just from his corner but also from some of the game’s best-known names. “For me, all year long, he’s been a top-level player,” said Enrique. “He has a quality in the character that he shows, no matter the match — that’s very important.”

Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard anointed Kvaratskhelia the best winger in the world. “Just so powerful, so dangerous,” Gerrard told TNT Sports. “He can go both ways, but it’s also the other side of the game. A lot of wingers only want to do the side of the game when they have the ball at their feet. They want to do the exciting things. This guy does the lot. He works hard, he tackles, he fights. He’s the best winger in the world right now. There’s no one better than him.”

Four-time Champions League winner Clarence Seedorf went a step further. “Kvaratskhelia is the best player in the world and he’s only going to get better,” the former Real Madrid, Ajax and AC Milan midfielder said on Amazon Prime. “He just knows what to do in every situation. He carries the team in certain moments. I like his intelligence. He’s the extra man in midfield and also goes to make a difference up front. He’s unbelievable.”

Twin missions

Kvaratskhelia is thankful for both the love and the critical acclaim, but the accolades don’t distract him from his twin missions: constant improvement and trophy collection. And his focus, as ever, is not on individual awards like the Ballon D’Or, but on team success.

“I’m working every day,” he said in an interview with Le Parisien. “I have a great relationship with Enrique. He can shout at me or say whatever he wants, because I know he wants to make me a better version of myself.

“It’s always a good thing to have some competition within the team but we’re more focused on pushing one another to be better. That’s extremely positive for the team, because it keeps everyone on their toes. Creating that kind of healthy competition within a squad isn’t easy, so it’s great that we’ve managed to achieve it.”