Greek football was left in shock on Thursday following the death of George Baldock, the Panathinaikos and Greece international defender. Tributes poured in from across the country, uniting even rival fans who typically hold hostile feelings toward each other.
The 31-year-old English-born right-back, a former stalwart for Sheffield United in the Premier League, was found dead on Wednesday evening in the swimming pool at his home in Glyfada, a suburb of southern Athens.
“We can confirm that George has sadly passed away. As a family, we are in shock at this terrible loss,” his family said in a statement.
News of Baldock’s passing dominated social media, with the Super League and various clubs expressing condolences even before Panathinaikos released their own statement. Fans from rival clubs also mourned the loss of a player who was genuinely well-liked.
State TV ERT reported that Baldock was discovered at the bottom of the pool, with a bottle of vodka found at the scene. According to ANA, his wife, who was abroad, alerted the property owner after failing to reach him by phone.
As police and an ambulance arrived, several Panathinaikos players gathered outside the building, and a coroner was called. A preliminary examination found no signs of foul play, with ERT stating that Baldock had been dead for about five hours when he was discovered. The home showed no evidence of forced entry.
Baldock joined Panathinaikos in May after a seven-year spell with Sheffield United, who were relegated from the Premier League to the Championship last season. Of Greek descent through his father, he received his first call-up to the Greek national team in 2022 under then-manager Gus Poyet.
He earned 12 caps but was sidelined for the upcoming Nations League match against England due to injury. The Greek football federation referred to Baldock as “one of our own” and requested that players wear black armbands during the game.
Baldock played 75 minutes in a recent 0-0 draw against Olympiacos in the Greek Super League just days before his death.
Tributes continued to flow on social media, with Manchester United defender Harry Maguire, a former Sheffield United player, posting “RIP” along with a heartbreak emoji and an image of Baldock on Instagram. Sheffield United changed their homepage to feature a black-and-white photo of Baldock with the caption: “RIP George Baldock.”
“Sheffield United Football Club is shocked and extremely saddened to learn of the passing of former player George Baldock,” the club said in a statement. Northampton, where Baldock had a loan spell in 2011, expressed their sadness on X, stating, “We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former loanee George Baldock at the tragically young age of 31.”
Baldock’s boyhood club, MK Dons, said they were “deeply devastated” by the news, recalling how he began his career at Stadium MK and worked his way through the youth ranks before reaching the Premier League.
The Football Association in England also expressed their sorrow on X, stating, “We are devastated to learn of the passing of George Baldock at the age of 31. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with George’s family, friends, and teammates at club and country.”
Baldock was affectionately nicknamed “Furious George” by Sheffield United fans in recognition of his tenacious playing style. “I just love winning. I hate losing, and I even hate drawing,” he once told local media.
Gathered By: Praise Inalegwu