Budu Zivzivadze: Who is Karlsruhe's prolific Georgian striker?
Budu Zivzivadze has been one of Karlsruher’s most consistent performers since joining the club last year. Here, bundesliga.com looks at the the Georgian frontman...
Data correct as of 15 October 2024
Age: 30 (born 10 March 1994)
Club: Karlsruher
Position: Striker
Country: Georgia (32 caps, eight goals)
Key stats
Budu Zivzivadze has been in fine form this season, scoring seven goals in nine games across all competitions, including six in the league, where he has also notched two assists. After netting 12 goals in his debut 2023/24 Bundesliga 2 season, Zivzivadze looks well on track to beat last season’s tally, but he is no stranger to finding the back of the net.
A prolific scorer, Zivzivadze began his career with Dinamo Tbilisi, where he struck 28 goals in 41 matches. He continued his scoring success at Torpedo Kutaisi with 13 goals in 28 games, winning player of the year in the 2015/16 season before going on to win the Georgian title with FC Samtredia in the following season.
Following his success in Georgian football he was called up to the national team in January 2017, where he made his debut in a 2-2 draw against Uzbekistan. Zivzivadze was also part of the Georgia squad for the 2024 European Championship this summer, where he made two substitute appearances. He now has eight goals for his country and has become a regular for the national team since joining Karlsruhe.
Plays a bit like: Niclas Füllkrug
Both Zivzivadze and Germany international Niclas Füllkrug are known for their physicality and ability to hold up play, which makes them good target men. Like Füllkrug, Zivzivadze can bring teammates into the game and is clinical inside the box. The two also share brilliant positional awareness and an ability to tuck away half-chances.
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Did you know?
Zivzivadze is managed by former Bayern Munich and France defender Willy Sagnol at international level. Former France defender Sagnol made 184 appearances for Bayern, was a five-time German champion and lifted the UEFA Champions League, DFB Cup (four times), German League Cup and Intercontinental Cup while in Munich. He also went on to coach the Bayern first team before linking up with Georgia in 2021, when he brought Zivzivadze back into the international fold after a three-year absence.
What they’re saying
“Budu is a player with international experience and a great addition to our offense. He is versatile and can be used in a variety of ways in attack.” - Karlsruher sporting director, Oliver Kreuzer
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