Greece Pays Tribute to George Baldock in Historic Win Over England at Wembley
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Loading... - Rurik Popov
- 15 Oct 2024
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In an emotional evening at Wembley Stadium, Greece's national football team honored their late teammate George Baldock with a historic victory over England. The match, held on Thursday, marked Greece's first-ever win against England, with Vangelis Pavlidis scoring a dramatic last-minute goal to secure a 2-1 triumph.
The game was played under the shadow of tragedy, as the Greek team mourned the loss of Baldock, who was recently found dead in a swimming pool at his home in Athens. Before the match, the Greek players took a team photo holding Baldock's No. 2 shirt, a gesture they repeated after Pavlidis' opening goal and again at full time in front of their traveling supporters, who chanted Baldock's name in tribute.
Pavlidis, who scored both of Greece's goals, dedicated his performance to Baldock, holding his black armband aloft in memory of his teammate. Defender Lazaros Rota also paid homage, shouting "Georgey, this is for you!" into the camera after the match.
Baldock, who qualified to represent Greece through his paternal grandmother, had played 12 times for the national team. His sudden passing deeply affected his teammates, who were determined to honor his memory with their performance. "It was a really special game for us because of George, and of course, we gave everything for him and for his family," Pavlidis told ITV after the match. He emphasized that the emotions and the tribute to Baldock were more important than the victory itself.
The Greek team had been grappling with the news of Baldock's death in the 24 hours leading up to the game. Pavlidis shared that the team had spent a lot of time together, reflecting on their loss and resolving to play in Baldock's honor. "It doesn’t matter the score today, we want to play for him and we give everything for him," he said.
Baldock's football career began at MK Dons, and he went on to play for clubs including Oxford United, Northampton Town, and Sheffield United in the Premier League. Earlier this year, he signed a three-year contract with Greek club Panathinaikos. His family confirmed that his cause of death was drowning, stating that a post-mortem examination found he tragically drowned while swimming in the pool at his home in Glyfada, Athens.
The victory at Wembley was not just a sporting achievement for Greece but also a heartfelt tribute to a beloved teammate, underscoring the unity and resilience of the team in the face of loss.
