Greece stars were in tears on the Wembley pitch after stunning England 2-1 in the Nations League on Thursday evening. And Greece striker Vangelis Pavlidis paid tribute to George Baldock in his post-match interview following the death of the former Sheffield United defender on Wednesday at the age of 31.
Greece secured their first ever victory over England after producing a dominant display in London.
Pavlidis was the star of the show as he opened the scoring four minutes into the second half, before netting the winner deep into stoppage time at the end of the match after Jude Bellingham had levelled for the hosts.
The Greece players were overwhelmed with emotion after the final whistle as they displayed a shirt with Baldock’s name on the back of it.
And Pavlidis told ITV: “It was a really special game for us because of George, and of course we gave everything for him and for his family. It’s a great win but more important is the emotion – that we are people – and it was a special night because of him first of all.
“[We have thought about him] a lot from yesterday when we heard it happened. A really difficult moment for us because George was part of the team. He was a special guy. We have to play for him and it doesn’t matter the score today. We wanted to play for him and we gave everything for him.”
Baldock made 83 Premier League appearances during a seven-year spell at Sheffield United and twice helped the Blades win promotion from the Championship.
He opted to represent Greece at international level after qualifying to play for the country through his maternal grandmother and won a total of 12 caps after making his debut in June 2022.
The player left Sheffield United in the summer to join Panathinaikos, but was tragically found dead in his swimming pool at his home in Athens on Wednesday evening.
And a joint statement from Greece players ahead of their clash with England read: “It is impossible to believe that our dear friend and team-mate, George, is no longer with us.
“Our pain is indescribable. Tonight, we will try to reach the strength of his soul, which is a bright example for us all. Our thoughts are with his family. We will never forget you friend.”
Meanwhile, the Greek Football Federation penned: “There are no words to describe the human pain caused by the news of the unexpected loss of one of our own, young, man. The moment forces silence. Condolences to his family. Condolences from his second family.”
