Jaba Dvali (Georgian: ჯაბა დვალი; 8 February 1985 – 3 June 2026) was a Georgian football player and manager.
 Dvali in 2014 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 8 February 1985 | ||
| Place of birth | Tbilisi, Georgian SSR, Soviet Union | ||
| Date of death | 3 June 2026 (aged 41) | ||
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2000–2001 | Tbilisi | ||
| 2001–2002 | Norchi Dinamoeli | ||
| 2002–2004 | Dinamo Tbilisi | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2004–2007 | Dinamo Tbilisi | 48 | (23) |
| 2005–2006 | → Sioni (loan) | 15 | (11) |
| 2006–2007 | → Chikhura (loan) | 11 | (2) |
| 2007 | → Olimpi Rustavi (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 2007–2009 | Dacia Chişinău | 48 | (20) |
| 2009–2012 | Zestaponi | 98 | (45) |
| 2012–2014 | Dinamo Tbilisi | 51 | (27) |
| 2014 | → Qarabağ (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 2014 | Zestaponi | 12 | (10) |
| 2014–2016 | Dacia Chișinău | 5 | (1) |
| 2015 | → Saburtalo (loan) | 8 | (2) |
| 2016 | → Sapovnela (loan) | 9 | (0) |
| 2016–2017 | Tskhinvali | 11 | (7) |
| 2017–2018 | Sioni | 48 | (23) |
| 2018 | Telavi | 9 | (0) |
| 2019 | Chiatura | ||
| 2020 | Zestaponi | 13 | (8) |
| 2022 | Vazisubani | ||
| International career | |||
| 2012 | Georgia | 1 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Dvali played in three countries as a forward. He was the four-time winner of the national league and two-time winner of the Georgian Cup. Dvali was a main goalscorer at Zestaponi during their "golden time" when the club twice in a row won the national league. He was also a member of the 100 club of Georgian players with a hundred and more goals.
Twice, in 2005–06 and 2011–12, Dvali finished the Umaglesi Liga seasons as a topscorer.[1]
Career
editDvali started his professional career at Dinamo Tbilisi. After being loaned to three clubs, he moved to Moldovan side Dacia Chișinău.
He spent three prolific seasons at Zestaponi during the height of their success in the early 2010s. Dvali personally played a vital role in the club. He became a top goalscorer of the league in 2011–12.[2]
In 2012, Dvali made his only appearance for the Georgia national team in a home friendly game against Egypt.[3]
While at Dinamo Tbilisi, Dvali scored his 100th goal in the top division against Torpedo Kutaisi on 4 May 2013, entering the topscorers' club.[4]
In January 2014, Dvali agreed to join Azerbaijan Premier League side FK Qarabağ on a six-month loan deal.[5][6] In June 2014, at the end of Dvali's loan deal with Qarabağ, he signed a two-year contract with Zestaponi in Georgia.[7][8] In December 2014, Dvali signed two-year contract with Dacia Chișinău which came into force on 20 January 2015.[9]
Between 2015 and 2019 Dvali played for five domestic clubs. Especially noteworthy during these short-term stints was his great contribution to Sioni's promotion to the Erovnuli Liga, including in a 3–2 play-off victory over Dinamo Batumi where Dvali scored a hat-trick.[10]
In March 2020, Dvali returned to football after a year-long pause as director general of Zestaponi. At one point in 2021, when this fourth-tier club was plagued with injuries and suspensions, he appeared in the starting line-up and even scored from the penalty spot.[11]
Along with the management at the club, Dvali also took charge of the Zestaponi youth academy.[12]
On 22 October 2025, 40-year-old Dvali scored the last goal of his career as Zestaponi secured an away win over Gagra-2 before their relegation from Liga 4.[13]
Death
editDvali died following a heart attack on 3 June 2026, at the age of 41.[14]
Career statistics
edit| Club | Season | League | National cup | Super cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Dinamo Tbilisi | 2004–05 | Umaglesi Liga | 23 | 9 | – | 3 | 0 | 26 | 9 | |||
| 2005–06 | 12 | 10 | – | – | 12 | 10 | ||||||
| 2006–07 | 11 | 3 | – | 11 | 3 | |||||||
| Total | 46 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 49 | 22 | ||||
| Sioni Bolnisi (loan) | 2005–06 | Umaglesi Liga | 15 | 11 | – | – | 15 | 11 | ||||
| Chikhura Sachkhere (loan) | 2006–07 | Umaglesi Liga | 11 | 2 | – | – | 11 | 2 | ||||
| Olimpi Rustavi (loan) | 2007–08 | Umaglesi Liga | 2 | 0 | – | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |||
| Dacia Chișinău | 2007–08 | Moldovan National Division | 32 | 13 | – | 32 | 13 | |||||
| 2008–09 | 16 | 7 | – | 2 | 0 | 18 | 7 | |||||
| Total | 48 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 50 | 20 | ||||
| Zestaponi | 2009–10 | Umaglesi Liga | 33 | 12 | 3 | 2 | – | 3 | 4 | 39 | 18 | |
| 2010–11 | 34 | 12 | 4 | 1 | – | 6 | 4 | 44 | 17 | |||
| 2011–12 | 31 | 20 | 7 | 4 | – | 6 | 3 | 44 | 27 | |||
| 2012–13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||
| Total | 98 | 44 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 12 | 129 | 63 | ||
| Dinamo Tbilisi | 2012–13 | Umaglesi Liga | 27 | 20 | 9 | 2 | – | – | 36 | 22 | ||
| 2013–14 | 17 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 24 | 7 | ||
| Total | 44 | 25 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 60 | 29 | ||
| Qarabağ (loan) | 2013–14 | Azerbaijan Premier League | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 5 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 269 | 124 | 24 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 29 | 14 | 323 | 147 | ||
Honours
editDinamo Tbilisi
- Umaglesi Liga: 2004–05, 2012–13
- Georgian Cup: 2003–04
- Georgian Super Cup runner-up: 2013–14
Zestaponi
- Umaglesi Liga: 2010–11, 2011–12
- Georgian Cup: 2012–13; runner-up 2011–12
- Georgian Super Cup: 2011–12
Dacia Chișinău
- Moldovan National Division runner-up: 2007–08, 2008–09
- Moldovan Cup runner-up: 2008–09
Qarabağ
Individual
- Umaglesi Liga top scorer: 2005–06 (21 goals), 2011–12 (20 goals)
- Author of first UEFA Europa League hat-trick[17]
References
edit- ↑ "ვეტერანი ფეხბურთელი ჯაბა დვალი გარდაიცვალა". adjarabetarena.com (in Georgian). 3 June 2026. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
- ↑ "Umaglesi Liga topscorers". besoccer.com.
- ↑ "საქართველოს ფეხბურთის ფედერაციის განცხადება" [Statement of the Georgian Football Federation]. gff.ge (in Georgian). 3 June 2026. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
- ↑ "ჯაბა დვალი - 100". fcdinamo.ge (in Georgian). 4 May 2013. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
- ↑ "Qarabağ gürcü hücumçu ilə müqavilə imzalayır" (in Azerbaijani). azerisport.com/. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
- ↑ "Qarabağın yeni hücumçusu icarə əsasında çıxış edəcək" (in Azerbaijani). azerisport.com/. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
- ↑ "Qarabağ gürcü hücumçu ilə müqavilə imzalayır" (in Azerbaijani). azerisport.com/. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
- ↑ "Qarabağın yeni hücumçusu icarə əsasında çıxış edəcək" (in Azerbaijani). azerisport.com/. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
- ↑ "Dvali Is Back in "Dacia"". worldsport.ge/. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
- ↑ "სიონმა" ბათუმის "დინამო" დვალის ჰეთ-თრიქით დაამარცხა". 1tv.ge (in Georgian). 30 November 2017.
- ↑ ""ზესტაფონისთვის" გოლს დირექტორი ჯაბა დვალიც იტანს". fanebi.com (in Georgian). 18 October 2021.
- ↑ "ჯაბა დვალი "ზესტაფონის" მენეჯერად იმუშავებს". 1tv.ge (in Georgian). 6 March 2020.
- ↑ "Gagra-2 vs Zestaponi match report". gff.ge. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
- ↑ "Former Qarabag striker Jaba Dvali dies aged 41". Idman. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
- ↑ Jaba Dvali at National-Football-Teams.com
- ↑ "J. DVALI". Soccerway/. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
- ↑ "Dvali celebrations after historic haul". UEFA. Retrieved 10 July 2009.
External links
edit- Player profile at official web-site of Zestaponi
- Jaba Dvali at National-Football-Teams.com
- Jaba Dvali at Soccerway
- Jaba Dvali – UEFA competition record (archive)