Nugzar Kvirtiya - Working with Neymar Jr & Shaping Future Stars (2 Million, Pro Football Player, UEFA EURO Ambassador, Baku)

"From training with legends like Neymar Jr to mentoring kids in Baku — football gave me a purpose bigger than the game."

Q. Your journey spans from Dinamo Tbilisi youth to professional stints in Russia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Tunisia. Which memory stands out as the turning point of your career?

I think it is Azerbaijan, because I was able to fulfill my dream of playing in the Europa League. In other countries, of course, I gained a lot of experience, otherwise I would not have been able to achieve such a result.

Q. You’ve played as a winger and midfielder and excelled in freestyle football. How have those roles shaped your unique playing style and philosophy?

I have always admired the Brazilian school and have been a fan of the Brazilian national team since 1994. As a professional football player, I devoted a lot of time to football freestyle, especially after Ronaldinho appeared on the football scene, I saw the first videos of his tricks when he played for PSG. 

It helped me feel the ball better. I have always been recognized as the most technical football player in all the leagues I played in. I advise all young guys to devote more time to freestyle and street football, panna, futsal.

Q. After retiring in 2020, you became the first ambassador of Neymar Jr’s Five in Azerbaijan. What motivated you to transition into this role, and what did you learn from it?

This moment became key in my new endeavors as a content creator and football freestyler. I became an ambassador of EURO 2020 and was included in the top 20 best European freestylers and thus I became the first Georgian in history who performed before EURO 2020 matches as a football freestyler. 

Well, then I became one of the popular football content creators and made a collaboration with such football legends as Luis Nani, Berbatov, Ronaldinho, Neymar and others.

Q. As a Key Leader for the WFFA and a UEFA Euro 2020 freestyler, you’ve championed street football in Baku. How would you describe the cultural impact of freestyle football there?

For 7 years I have been developing football freestyle and street football, panna and only now I see the fruits. Young guys are training, want to be the best in Azerbaijan and represent their country in the international arena. There is still a lot of work to do because, unfortunately this direction is in decline all over the world. The guys need motivation from world competitions.

Q. You’ve experienced football in diverse leagues and countries—how did adapting to different cultures and styles influence your approach both on and off the pitch?

I did not have any difficulties in adaptation before the trip to Tunisia. Unfortunately the club management created big problems for me and this could not but affect my game, although initially everything was fine. 

I am a positive person and  I have always helped foreigners to adapt to the club because, I know how important it is for the team and the players themselves. Sometimes in clubs, I even played the role of a translator, helped in negotiations between clubs. 

But I am grateful to God that I had the opportunity to play in different countries. Because I learned a lot from different people.

Q. What does success mean to you today compared to when you were actively playing? Has your definition evolved now that you’re empowering others through coaching and freestyle?

Unfortunately, in my time when I played at the highest level, social networks were not so developed and therefore few people saw my achievements. But after finishing my career, I got busy with self-promotion. 

I posted my successful moments in my career, feints, goals, talked about the difficulties that young footballers might face, recorded videos of trick training and this really bore fruit.

Of course, football freestyle and my coaching career played a huge role in my popularity.

Q. You’ve built a freestyle and panna school in Baku. What are the biggest challenges and rewards of mentoring young players in this space?

At first it was a freestyle and panna school, but then it turned into a full-fledged football academy where about 300 children passed through my club and 60 of them successfully grow up in professional clubs of the country and abroad. There are also several players in their age categories of the national team.

I faced many problems because to support so many children. You need a lot of money first.  At first my friends helped me, but then I had to carry this burden myself. At that moment my football academy was saved by my social networks. 

I received a lot of advertising integrations and I spent all the finances on the maintenance of the club. These were good times and was a wonderful experience. I am glad that we managed to raise so many children.

Bio

Nugzar Kvirtiya, also known as Noogi, is a professional content creator, football personality, and sports event organizer. With over 2 million followers across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, he collaborates with global brands like Adidas, UEFA, Red Bull, and Samsung. 

Nugzar has worked with legendary players such as Ronaldinho, Nani, Neymar and Zanetti, and actively promotes youth football through his academy. He is based in Baku and frequently represents Georgia and Azerbaijan in international football media events.

Follow Nugzar on Instagram

Interviewed By Irene Elina Eldhose