Greece’s goal hero dedicates win over England to George Baldock following former teammate’s death
Greece secured a memorable 2-1 victory over England at Wembley on Thursday night, with Vangelis Pavlidis, the match-winner, dedicating the performance and win to his former teammate George Baldock, who tragically passed away earlier in the week. Baldock, who was eligible to represent Greece through a grandparent, had earned twelve caps for the national team and had recently been in their squad. The Greek football community was left in shock when it was confirmed that Baldock, aged 31, was found dead in a swimming pool at home, just days after playing for his club Panathinaikos.
Having featured for Sheffield United in England for seven years, among other teams, Baldock made a move to the Greek Super League earlier this summer. Pavlidis, who scored both goals in the match, paid tribute to Baldock by raising his black armband worn in memory of his late teammate. The emotional scenes continued after the game, as the entire Greek team, visibly moved, held up a shirt bearing Baldock’s name.
Speaking to ITV after the game, Pavlidis expressed the team’s desire to deliver a strong performance in honour of Baldock. He stated, “It was a really special game for us because of George. We gave everything for him and his family. It’s a great win, but most important are the emotions; we are people, and it’s a special night because of him first of all.” Pavlidis continued, “From yesterday when we knew, everybody had a really difficult moment. George was part of the team, a special guy, and spent a lot of time with everyone. We said we have to play for him, and it doesn’t matter about the score today; we just gave everything for him.”
This victory marked Greece’s first-ever win against England and their first goal scored at Wembley. The triumph now positions Greece at the top of the Nations League group, three points ahead of England.