Football mourns Greek defender George Baldock’s shock death at 31

ATHENS: Greek football was in shock Thursday at the death of Panathinaikos and Greece international George Baldock, with tributes uniting even the country´s usually hostile rival fans.

The 31-year-old English-born right-back -- a former Sheffield United stalwart in the Premier League -- was found dead on Wednesday evening in a swimming pool at his home in the southern Athens suburb of Glyfada.

“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 death dominated social media with the top-flight Super League and clubs sending condolences even before Panathinaikos posted their own statement.

Even fans from clubs hostile to Panathinaikos expressed grief at the loss of a genuinely well-liked player. State TV ERT reported that Baldock was “at the bottom of the pool” and that a bottle of vodka was found at the scene.

ANA said Baldock´s wife, who is abroad, alerted the owner of the residence after unsuccessfully trying to reach the player on the phone. As police cars and an ambulance were dispatched to the scene, several Panathinaikos players gathered outside the building and a coroner was called.

A first examination did not reveal signs of foul play, ERT said Thursday, adding that the player had been dead for about five hours when he was found. The home also showed no evidence of forced entry.

Baldock joined Panathinaikos in May after a seven-year spell with Sheffield United, relegated from the English Premier League to the Championship last season. Of Greek origin through his father, he was called up by the Greek national team in 2022 by then-manager Gus Poyet. He had 12 caps, but had not been selected for the team´s Nations League match against England at Wembley on Thursday because of injury, ERT said. The Greek federation called Baldock “one of our own” and has requested that Greece´s players wear black armbands for the game.