“It makes me so happy to have them here. When you meet a fellow Georgian in a foreign country and find something in common, it is wonderful.”
Velocity FC Defender Gagi Margvelashvili
Spokane, WA — When defender Gagi Margvelashvili signed with Spokane Velocity FC in March, he never expected to find a piece of home in the Lilac City.
Gagi was born and raised in Kutaisi, Georgia. Looking back, one of his favorite childhood memories was growing up before phones and tablets became a part of everyday life.
“My childhood was amazing because we did not have phones, gadgets, iPads, or anything,” said Margvelashvili. “Today’s generation doesn’t know how beautiful life is without phones.”
As a child, Gagi spent much of his time outdoors, where he first fell in love with soccer.
“When I was four or five years old, my parents took me to my first soccer practice,” Gagi explained. “I still remember seeing a picture of my first training, I get emotional when I think about that moment.”
His passion for the sport led to a professional career. After playing soccer in Georgia for a decade, he moved to the United States in 2024, where he spent a season with Oakland Roots SC before taking his talents to Spokane this past Spring.
Gagi and Roots SC played against Velocity FC in a USL Cup match on April 27th, 2025, which Spokane won 2-1. Margvelashvili attributes his decision to sign with Velocity FC a season later to that visit.
“When I left [Oakland], I had offers from several clubs, but to tell you the truth, when I played here a year ago, I really liked the city and the environment,” Margvelashvili explained. “Then I looked at the team’s games and saw that they reached the final last year and unfortunately lost. This motivated me to become champions with this team this year.”
Although he left his home country behind two years ago, he unexpectedly found a piece of it waiting for him in Spokane. During a home match earlier this season, a local family approached Gagi after hearing where he was from. When they started speaking Georgian, he could not believe it.
“I was shocked when I heard them, because they spoke in Georgian,” said Margvelashvili. “We have been friends ever since.”
In a city thousands of miles from Kutaisi, finding people who share his language and culture has given him a sense of home away from home. Margvelashvili said having fellow Georgians in Spokane allows him to speak his native language and share familiar traditions, making him feel closer to home.
“It makes me so happy to have them here,” said Gagi. “When you meet a fellow Georgian in a foreign country and find something in common, it is wonderful.”
From meeting fellow Georgians to playing professionally, Margvelashvili is grateful for the opportunities soccer has given him.
“Nothing makes me happier than touching the ball and playing the game,” said Margvelashvili. “Today, I can truly say that I am the happiest person alive, just because I am a football player.”
Cheer on Gagi and the Lads when they take on Greenville Triumph SC at home this Saturday. $5 from every ticket sold to this match will be donated to Innovia Foundation’s Wildfire Response Fund. Purchase your tickets now at uslspokane.com/velocity-fc-tickets to cheer on your Velocity FC and support Spokane!
Watch Gagi’s video interview here.
