Greece honors George Baldock in triumphant victory against England at Wembley Stadium
Greece secured their first-ever victory against England in the national team's history, thanks to Vangelis Pavlidis' late-minute goal, clinching a thrilling 2-1 triumph.
Pavlidis put Greece ahead early in the second half, and it seemed they would hold on to their lead against an underperforming English side until the final whistle.
However, Jude Bellingham looked set to salvage a draw for England with a goal just three minutes from time, only for Pavlidis to pounce on a chance in the 94th minute to secure the win.
Before the match, the Greek players shared a team photo with Baldock's No. 2 shirt, raising it in celebration after Pavlidis' first goal.
As the final whistle blew, the players held up Baldock's shirt once more, prompting the Greek supporters to chant, "Baldock, Baldock."
Pavlidis dedicated his opening goal to the late George Baldock, holding his black armband aloft in tribute.
"This one's for you, Georgy!" defender Lazaros Rota declared into the camera at the end of the match.
Baldock represented Greece through his paternal grandmother and played for the national team 12 times throughout his career.
"This was a very special game for us, thanks to George, and we gave our all for him and his family," Pavlidis told ITV post-match. "It was a great win, but the emotions are what truly matter. We played for him."
Pavlidis revealed that Baldock had been on the players' minds leading up to the game.
"Since we learned about what happened yesterday, it's been a tough time for us," he said. "George was a team player and a special person, and we spent a lot of time with him. We knew we had to play for him, no matter the score."
Baldock began his career at MK Dons, going on to play for Oxford United, Northampton Town, and Sheffield United, among others, before joining Greek club Panathinaikos earlier this year on a three-year contract.
Baldock's family confirmed that the defender had tragically drowned in his home pool in Athens, prompting a post-mortem examination.
In the midst of the match, the Greek team paid tribute to their late teammate George Baldock by holding up his No. 2 shirt during the team photo and celebrating Pavlidis' first goal. Later, Pavlidis scored another crucial goal in the 94th minute, turning a potential draw into a historic 2-1 victory for Greece, which can be attributed to their love and motivation for the sport of football and their fallen comrade.
