George Baldock, who died at the age of 31, lived almost his entire life in England, but played for the Greek national team. Tonight, England host Greece in the Nations League.
10.10. 19:50•Updated 10.10. 23:34
Football Nations League match between Finland and Ireland on Thursday at 21:45. Live broadcast on TV2, Areena and app from 21:00.
Greece plays football in the Nations League at level B, in the same group as Finland. On Thursday at 21:45 the match between Finland and Ireland starts in Helsinki. This duo started the matches in September with two losses.
At the same time, the match between England and Greece, who started the tournament with two wins, starts at Wembley in London.
The Greek team has prepared for the match in the midst of an upset. On Thursday morning, we received the news that George Baldock31, has died. The defender was found dead in the swimming pool of his home in Glafyda, in the metropolitan area of Athens.
According to media reports, Baldock’s English wife was worried after not being able to contact her husband for several hours. Baldock was due to fly to England to celebrate his son’s 1st birthday.
After this, the wife had called the owner of the house Baldock lived in, who found Baldock in the swimming pool.
News agency Reuters has reported that Baldock’s body was found on Wednesday at 22:30 local time. The first police officers on the scene tried to revive Baldock, but were unsuccessful. The first aid unit that arrived at the scene pronounced him dead.
According to the police, there is no evidence of a crime. According to surveillance cameras, Baldock was home alone.
On Thursday, during the autopsy, the main cause of death was found to be drowning, but for example toxicological investigations are still in progress. Baldock’s family has confirmed the cause of death in their announcement, among other things Sky Sports.
– We are heartbroken by the sudden passing of our beloved George. We can confirm that George tragically drowned in the swimming pool at his home in Glyfada, Athens.
Life in England, national team in Greece
The news touches in a special way on tonight’s England-Greece match.
Baldock was born in Buckingham, England. He played his junior year in England, and in his professional career from 2017 to 2024 he represented Sheffield United, in whose ranks he was able to play in the Premier League in 2020-21 and 2023-24. Last summer, he moved to Panathinaikos in the Greek League.
Through his grandmother, Baldock had the opportunity to represent Greece as well as England. In 2022, he got it from the head coach at the time From Gus Poyet his first call to the Greek group.
The full-back played 12 matches in Greece’s shirt – the last time in March 2024 in the European Championship play-offs.
Today England and Greece players wear black armbands. There will be a moment of silence before the match at Wembley.
The BBC reportsthat the Greek players are upset. The Greek Football Federation had asked for the match to be postponed, but the European Football Association Uefa decided that no replacement day could be found in the busy calendar.
The Greek players had heard the sad news on Wednesday evening after their training. Last night they had “barely slept”.
– It is impossible to believe that our dear friend and teammate George is no longer with us. Our pain is indescribable, the Greek national team’s press release said.
– We are very saddened by the passing of George Baldock. George was close to many of our players and represented Greece – our opponent tonight. Our thoughts are with George’s family, friends and teammates at both club and national team during this difficult time, The English Federation stated.
Shock in both countries
The clubs represented by Baldock have naturally expressed their shock at the sad news. The social media accounts of Panathinaikos and the Greek national team changed their profile pictures to black.
Greek journalist Nikos Papanikolaou says on the BBCthat the entire Greek football community is in shock and the country is in a state of mourning. The social media accounts of Panathinaikos and the Greek national team changed their profile pictures to black.
The soccer world has also expressed its condolences for the UEFA president Aleksander from Ceferin since.
Englishmen who once played with Baldock in Sheffield, such as Harry Maguire and Dean Hendersonposted their condolences on social media. Out of the two, goalkeeper Henderson is also now in England’s group.
Baldock’s other former clubs, such as MK Dons, Tamworth and Oxford United, have also shared their shock. Besides, George Baldock’s brother James is Oxford’s team doctor.
Huuhkajat lost to Greece in the opening of the Nations League 0–3. The teams will meet for the second time in Helsinki in the final round of the group on November 17.
Football Nations League match between Finland and Ireland on Thursday at 21:45. Live broadcast on TV2, Areena and app from 21:00.
Updated at 23:34. Added information that the family has informed about the subject and confirmed the cause of death.