Footballer who scored UEFA Europa League’s first hattrick dies from coronary heart assault
Georgian striker Jaba Dvali, who cemented his place in UEFA Europa League history with scoring the competitions first hattrick, has suddenly passed away at the age of 41
FC Dinamo Tbilisi’s Jaba Dvali (right) in a UEFA Europa League match against Tottenham(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
A former footballer who made history in a top UEFA competition has died at the age of 41 after reportedly suffering a heart attack.
Georgian striker Jaba Dvali holds the accolade for being the first person to score a hattrick in the UEFA Europa League. Sadly, the veteran striker has now passed away with many of his former clubs now paying tribute.
There has been now further information on Dvali’s death or the exact date he tragically died.
Dinamo Tbilisi, one of Georgia’s biggest clubs, paid tribute to their former player who some Tottenham fans may remember from when Dvali played against them in the Europa League in 2013.
The club said: “Dinamo Tbilisi expresses its deep sorrow over the death of our former player, Jaba Dvali. We extend our condolences to his family and loved ones.”
Dvali achieved the hattrick feat in the first half of his FC Zestafoni side’s 6-0 win against Lisburn Distillery FC in the Europa league back in July 2009.
Zestafoni won 5-1 in the first leg to set another record in the competition for the largest margins of victory with a 11-1 aggregate success.
Speaking about the night he gained the accolade, a “happy” Dvali said: “We really wanted to win and also to score more, than in the first encounter, and we succeeded.”
FC Zestafoni have also paid tribute to their former star player who played a major part in one the club’s most successful periods.
Posted alongside a career montage video, the club simply wrote “Rest in Peace!”.
It did not take long for the Europa League to see its first hattrick as the competition had only just formed that year to replace the UEFA Cup with a new format.
The new format of the competition eventually saw Atlético Madrid win the trophy after a win against Fulham in the final in Hamburg.
Although he only made one appearance for the Georgia national team, Dvali is part of the Georgian league’s 100 club having played for a number of clubs in his home country.
Dvali played for several clubs in Georgia but also spent time in Azerbaijani football with Qarabag in 2014.
