The heartwarming tale of the Georgia player who stunned Portugal

The "never meet your heroes" expression doesn't apply to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who first crossed paths with his idol, Cristiano Ronaldo, as a 12-year-old, and had his life changed for the better.

In the ultimate full-circle moment, Kvaratskhelia scored a goal within 92 seconds against Portugal on Wednesday as Georgia stunned Ronaldo and Co. en route to a 2-0 victory.

The historic win meant that Georgia, playing in its first major global event, advanced to the knockout stages of Euro 2024.

And just as the Georgians erupted in celebration, Kvaratskhelia made it a point to hug his idol.

That's not all — Kvaratskhelia received Ronaldo's jersey for his Man of the Match performance. The 23-year-old Georgian had hoped to receive the honor before the match.

After the game, Kvaratskhelia was understandably overcome with emotions.

"This is the best day in the lives of Georgians," he said, via The Guardian. "We just made history. Nobody would believe what has happened, that we would defeat Portugal but this is why we're a strong team. We just encourage each other and told each other that we could do that. When you wear the badge of your country it makes you so proud. It is the best day of my life. Even if there is just a 1% chance, we proved that you can make it happen."

The heartwarming story was another reminder of the longevity of the 39-year-old Ronaldo, who continues to transcend generations. Look no further than the fact that he once shared the football pitch with the father of his current national teammate , Francisco Conceicao.

Portugal and Georgia could meet again in the semi-finals of Euro 2024 if both countries can advance to the final four. They will face Slovenia and Spain, respectively, in their Round of 16 matches.