A fabricated video featuring Georgian soccer star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has recently gone viral, causing a stir among South African sports enthusiasts. The AI-generated clip depicts Kvaratskhelia, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), claiming South African ancestry and expressing a desire to represent Bafana Bafana in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, stating he was “done” with his birth country, Georgia.

The deceptive video showed Kvaratskhelia speaking at a press conference, adorned with a South African flag, declaring his love for the nation and readiness to play for it. Another segment of the clip further elaborated on his supposed South African grandmother, asserting that this part of his identity mattered and he would be there if South Africa invited him. This generated considerable discussion and varied reactions from official channels and the public alike.

South Africa's Minister of Sport, Gayton McKenzie, swiftly responded to the viral video, dismissing the idea of recruiting Kvaratskhelia. Speaking to Soccer Beat, McKenzie stated, “We don’t want those things, we have our players. We must go with the people that got us there,” firmly indicating a preference for homegrown talent over foreign players based on such claims.

In contrast to the Minister's stance, the official TikTok account for the South African national team, Bafana Bafana, appeared to playfully engage with the rumour. The account posted a clip of the PSG player overlaid with South African flag emojis and set to Kurt Darren’s song "Kaptein," humorously asking its followers, "What is his South African name?" This lighthearted approach acknowledged the video's virality without endorsing its claims.

Despite the widespread attention, investigations and various media reports confirm that Khvicha Kvaratskhelia does not possess any South African roots, nor does he have relatives living in the country. Furthermore, even if he did, he would be ineligible to play for another national team, as he has already made 45 appearances for Georgia, including participation in last year’s Euros and World Cup qualifiers. FIFA rules strictly govern such eligibility, preventing players from switching national teams after a certain number of competitive appearances.

The public reaction in the comments sections of related posts also showed skepticism and rejection from many South Africans. Comments questioned Kvaratskhelia's timing, asking where he was "when we were struggling with Bafana Bafana," and denouncing the offer as an "insult to all hard-working South African players."

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, born in Tbilisi, Georgia, is 24 years old and the son of retired footballer Badri Kvaratskhelia. He currently plays as a left winger for PSG. In 2024, he played a crucial role in helping Georgia qualify for UEFA Euro 2024, marking the country’s first-ever major international tournament appearance. He also earned the UEFA Champions League’s Young Player of the Season award in 2022. It is clear that while Kvaratskhelia is a highly talented international player, the claims about his South African heritage and eligibility for Bafana Bafana are entirely false and originated from an AI-generated anomaly.