Greece Pays Tribute to George Baldock in Historic Win Over England at Wembley

In an emotional night for Greek football, Greece secured a famous 2-1 victory over England at Wembley Stadium on Thursday, marking their first-ever win against the English national team. The match was especially poignant as Greece paid tribute to their late teammate, George Baldock, who was tragically found dead in his swimming pool in Athens just days before the game.

The match itself was a thriller, with Vangelis Pavlidis scoring both goals for Greece, including a last-minute winner in the 94th minute. Pavlidis initially gave Greece the lead early in the second half, but Jude Bellingham equalized for England just three minutes from full time. However, Greece refused to settle for a draw, and Pavlidis’ dramatic stoppage-time goal sealed the historic victory.

A Tribute to Baldock

Before kickoff, the Greek players paid tribute to Baldock by posing for their team photo holding his No. 2 shirt. Following Pavlidis’ first goal, the team lifted Baldock’s shirt once again in honor of their fallen teammate, and at the final whistle, they repeated the gesture in front of the traveling Greek fans, who chanted Baldock’s name in unison.

Pavlidis dedicated his opening goal to Baldock, raising his black armband and shouting, “Georgey, this is for you!” into the cameras. Fellow defender Lazaros Rota also expressed his emotions, calling out to Baldock in a heartfelt post-match tribute.

In his post-match interview, Pavlidis emphasized how much Baldock had been in the team’s thoughts in the lead-up to the game. “From yesterday when we heard what happened… it’s been really difficult for us, because George was part of the team and a special guy,” Pavlidis said. “We just said that we have to play for him. The score didn’t matter; we gave everything for him.”

Baldock’s Career and Legacy

Baldock, who was born in England but qualified to represent Greece through his paternal grandmother, earned 12 caps for the Greek national team. He started his professional career at MK Dons and played for clubs including Oxford United, Northampton Town, and Sheffield United, where he starred in the Premier League. In 2024, Baldock signed a three-year contract with Greek club Panathinaikos.

Baldock’s family confirmed that his cause of death was drowning, saying in a statement, “We can confirm that a post-mortem examination has found that George tragically drowned whilst swimming in the pool at his home in Glyfada, Athens.”

Thursday’s match at Wembley was not just a victory for Greece, but a touching tribute to a beloved teammate, whose memory inspired the team to one of their greatest achievements on the international stage.