Kakha Kaladze
A Georgian football star who traded the pitch for city hall, becoming the powerful mayor of Tbilisi and shaping its future.
Born 1978 (age 48)·Georgian footballer and politician·Birthday: February 27·Generation X
Biography
Kakha Kaladze’s story is one of two distinct, high-stakes careers. He first captured national pride on the football field, emerging from Georgia to become a defensive stalwart for European giants AC Milan, where he won two UEFA Champions League titles. His calm presence and versatility made him a cornerstone for both his clubs and the Georgian national team for over a decade. In a dramatic second act, he leveraged his fame and discipline into politics, aligning with the Georgian Dream party. Elected Mayor of Tbilisi in 2017, Kaladze swapped tackles for municipal budgets and urban development, applying a sportsman’s strategic focus to the complex governance of his country’s capital, a role that has cemented his status as a pivotal figure in modern Georgia.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Kakha was born in 1978, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Kakha Was Born
The biggest hits of 1978
#1 Movie
Grease
Best Picture
The Deer Hunter
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Kakha's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1978Born
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1983Started school
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1991Became a teenager
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Could drive
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1996Could vote
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Turned 21
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2008Turned 30
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 40
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 48 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the UEFA Champions League twice with AC Milan, in 2003 and 2007.
- Served as the Mayor of Tbilisi, Georgia's capital, from 2017 onward.
- Earned the Georgian Footballer of the Year award a record five times.
- Capped 83 times for the Georgia national football team, serving as captain.
Did You Know?
His brother was kidnapped in 2001, and the family paid a ransom; the tragic event influenced his later philanthropic work.
He amassed over 100 yellow cards in his professional club career, known for his physical but fair defensive style.
Before becoming mayor, he served as Georgia's Minister of Energy and Deputy Prime Minister.
He is one of the few athletes to have received Georgia's highest civilian honor, the Order of the National Hero.
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