At Astakos restaurant in Glyfada, on the sting of the promenade on this quiet Athens suburb, a waiter is busy laying the tables for lunch.
It’s Saturday morning, shortly earlier than noon, and the solar is breaking by the clouds as a gentle stream of individuals stroll by on the seafront.
Glyfada is simply a 20-minute drive from downtown Athens, however the relaxed tempo of life feels 1,000,000 miles away from the hustle and bustle within the coronary heart of the Greek capital. There are fishing boats gently swaying within the marina, {couples} strolling hand in hand on the seashore, and youngsters dipping their toes within the water.
The city has been described as Athens’ best-kept secret and it’s straightforward to see why George Baldock was interested in the concept of residing right here after swapping Sheffield United for Panathinaikos in the summertime. His condo is straight reverse Astakos, solely a stone’s throw from the seashore. Tragically, it’s also the place he was discovered lifeless final week.
Aged 31, Baldock drowned in his swimming pool in circumstances that stay a thriller. Police have dominated out any legal exercise on the property however an investigation into precisely what occurred on Wednesday, October 9 is ongoing and unlikely to finish anytime quickly. Toxicology experiences might take so long as 45 days to return again, that means that there are extra questions than solutions proper now.
His loss of life has shaken individuals in Greece, the place the profound sense of disappointment amongst those that hung out in Baldock’s firm displays the best way that he related with a rustic that grew to become his adopted residence. Born in England and a product of the MK Dons academy, Baldock certified to play for Greece by his late grandmother. He received 12 caps since making his debut in June 2022 and cherished each one in all them.
The Greece workforce at Wembley maintain up a shirt with Baldock’s identify and quantity on (Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside through Getty Pictures)
There might, and certainly would, have been many extra. As an alternative, the doorway to his condo in Glyfada is stuffed with flowers and messages that inform a really totally different story.
“Starman. From Sofia, your Athens Blade,” reads one card — a reference to the David Bowie tune that Sheffield United followers devoted to Baldock as he was “operating down the proper”.
That stunning little notice, which is accompanied by a drawing of Baldock’s No 2 shirt, friends out of the highest of a bouquet of lilies, together with a single white rose.
One other message subsequent to it says, “Yesterday’s Greek win was all for you”.
“Yesterday” was Thursday, October 10, 24 hours after Baldock handed away and the identical day that Greece beat England 2-1 at Wembley within the Nations League. It was additionally when Baldock was because of fly residence to England to have fun his son Brody’s first birthday.
His passing is a heartbreaking story in so some ways and it’s inconceivable to think about what Baldock’s household — specifically his fiancee Annabel, his dad and mom Basil and Jacqueline, and his brothers Sam and James — have been going by over the previous week or so.
Baldock’s team-mates — previous and current — have discovered it tough sufficient. Listening to them speaking about him is extraordinarily transferring and, at instances, upsetting. There’s a combination of ache, anguish and disbelief of their voices as they attempt to make sense of a narrative that is senseless in any respect.
A number of of them tried to name Baldock that Wednesday evening as a result of they refused to just accept the terrible information that they have been listening to was true.
Some nonetheless get up within the morning ready for the video name that by no means comes.
Others sound misplaced. “I nonetheless really feel his presence,” Erik Palmer-Brown, the Panathinaikos and former USMNT defender, says. “I really feel like he’s watching over me. His locker was proper subsequent to mine; it nonetheless is. However he’s simply not there.”
On the Sunday night earlier than final, Sotiris Souchleris was ready outdoors the VIP gate on the Olympic Stadium in Athens. Panathinaikos had drawn 0-0 at residence towards Olympiacos and Souchleris, who’s a journalist for the Greek sport web site Pao Pantou, hoped to talk to 1 or two of the gamers. A few them had politely declined when he noticed Baldock approaching.
“George, are you able to reply a few questions, please?” Souchleris requested, hoping slightly than anticipating Baldock would cease.
“In fact, mate,” Baldock replied.
Souchleris shortly arrange his digital camera and pressed report. He remembers considering that Baldock appeared slightly drained in addition to a bit dissatisfied that Panathinaikos had did not beat Olympiacos. However there was additionally a variety of positivity in Baldock’s voice when he talked about his efficiency and the longer term.
“Anybody who is aware of me, and who has watched me, will know that’s much more like me,” Baldock advised Souchleris. “It’s been unlucky I acquired a really dangerous harm with the nationwide workforce. I used to be out for a lot of, many months, and I’ve been attempting to return again, and that is the primary time I really feel extra like myself.”
“I thanked him, shook arms and mentioned goodbye,” Souchleris provides.
“It was the primary and the final time we spoke.”
Though Baldock made simply 4 appearances for Panathinaikos and solely signed in July, he was already a vastly well-liked determine contained in the membership. Among the Panathinaikos squad had recognized him for a few years, ever since he was known as as much as the Greece squad for the primary time. Others instantly warmed to a person who at all times had a smile on his face, liked telling a narrative, and went out of his technique to discuss to individuals.
Baldock with Greece team-mate Giorgos Masouras (Picture: Seb Daly/Sportsfile through Getty Pictures)
“The day he walked into our pre-season (camp) in Austria, he sat subsequent to me on the lunch desk and I simply felt his English vitality,” Palmer-Brown says.
“I’ve been in England earlier than (with Manchester Metropolis) so I knew I might click on on along with his banter. However he simply made all the things simpler — he was an open guide, simply so sincere with everybody round him. He was capable of convey a room collectively. In case you weren’t within the dialog, say you had simply walked in, he would throw slightly joke on the market to make you’re feeling welcome.
“Clearly, we’ve got a bunch of various nationalities on the membership and to see him combine in with any group of individuals, it was such a particular factor. I can’t even describe it. I envy him for with the ability to try this, and that’s one of many the reason why I do know everybody loves him.”
Baldock acquired on properly with all of the gamers at Panathinaikos however he was near 5 or 6 team-mates specifically. Palmer-Brown, who hung out on the condo in Glyfada, taking part in Uno with Baldock and his fiancee and assembly his mother-in-law-to-be, was a kind of gamers and the Iceland worldwide Hordur Magnusson was one other.
A former Bristol Metropolis participant, Magnusson had performed towards Baldock within the Championship in England and was delighted when he heard that he was signing for Panathinaikos. He rated Baldock as a participant and he knew individuals in England who spoke extremely of him as a team-mate.
Within the early days at Panathinaikos, when Baldock was nonetheless attempting to type out a lease automotive, Magnusson drove him forwards and backwards to coaching and likewise helped his household settle into their condo in Glyfada. “Once we got here again from Austria, I went straight to Zara Residence (across the nook from the property) and the opposite shops with George to purchase all the things for the home in order that Annabel and Brody might simply take it straightforward and benefit from the days,” he says.
‘I went there to attempt to assist as a result of I didn’t consider that George was lifeless,’ mentioned Magnusson (Jose Manuel Alvarez/High quality Sport Pictures/Getty Pictures)
Magnusson shrugs when it’s put to him that it was a pleasant factor for him to do for Baldock. “I knew that George would have finished the identical for me,” he replies.
The 2 of them have been the identical age and each had younger kids, however Baldock was working on a very totally different physique clock to Magnusson.
“He was the kind of participant who went to sleep early and wakened early. He had a lot vitality!” Magnusson says, laughing in regards to the cellphone calls he would obtain earlier than his alarm had gone off. “It could be, ‘Good morning, Maga, do you wish to come to eat one thing now?’ I’d say, ‘Georgey, let me sleep slightly bit extra after which we are able to go!’”
On Wednesday morning final week, Baldock reported for remedy after choosing up a slight knock within the Olympiacos recreation. Magnusson, who has been recovering from a cruciate knee ligament harm that he suffered final season, remembers Baldock strolling into the physio’s room and giving him a heat embrace.
After receiving remedy, Baldock did some mild operating outdoors within the sunshine. Palmer-Brown and the Swedish ahead Alexander Jeremejeff had already completed coaching and sat on the grass watching Baldock earlier than all three acquired within the sauna collectively.
“It was his son’s birthday,” Palmer-Brown explains. “And we at all times have this inside joke about ‘Father of the Yr; I don’t have a child however they (Baldock and Jeremejeff) do. So we have been like, ‘Congratulations — Father of the Yr’, due to the birthday. He mentioned, ‘Yeah, but it surely’s a bit s*** I’m not there’, and that’s when he advised us he had a flight residence the following day after coaching.”
Palmer-Brown pauses for a second. “That’s my final reminiscence of him,” he says.
After showering, Baldock acquired a carry again to his condo with Bart Schenkeveld, a 33-year-old Dutchman who was one of many final individuals to have any contact with him.
Attempting to work out precisely what occurred subsequent is like placing collectively a jigsaw puzzle that has among the items lacking.
All that may be mentioned for positive is that, later within the night, Baldock’s fiancee Annabel grew to become involved that one thing wasn’t proper. She had been unable to get in contact along with her associate and reached out for assist.
“So she known as the owner and requested him to go to the property,” Andreas Vlachopoulos, who brokered the rental settlement for the condo with Baldock in the summertime, says.
Nothing might have ready anybody for what adopted.
“When he went there, he discovered him drowned within the pool,” Vlachopoulos says.
In line with the police, they acquired a cellphone name from the owner shortly after 10pm on Wednesday. The primary officers on the scene on the condo eliminated Baldock from the pool to verify whether or not he was nonetheless alive. It was clear, nonetheless, that he had been within the water for a while. When an ambulance arrived shortly afterwards, medics carried out their very own checks and Baldock was pronounced lifeless at 10.25pm.
The Panathinaikos gamers shortly discovered the information.
“I acquired a name from Magnusson asking if I knew his fiancee’s quantity, as a result of I’d frolicked with them,” Palmer-Brown says. “I requested why, and he advised me. I used to be like, ‘There’s no manner. What do you imply, he drowned? What are you saying?’
“I used to be misplaced, actually confused. He (Magnusson) mentioned he was going to the property now — he lived fairly near Baldock. I mentioned, ‘I’m going to name Baldock.’ So I phoned him. Then I known as Magnusson once more when he acquired there, after which I heard it in his voice.”
It could quickly be public information. At 11.10pm, the Greek newspaper Proto Thema reported on-line that there had been an incident involving Baldock and a swimming pool. Inside 10 minutes, the story had been up to date to say that Baldock was lifeless.
The Greece gamers, who have been coaching on Wednesday evening at Wembley in preparation for his or her Nations League recreation towards England the next night, returned to the dressing room to see a flurry of messages and missed calls on their telephones.
A few of Baldock’s team-mates responded incredulously, virtually angrily, to the individuals who have been contacting them, assuming there was a horrible misunderstanding. Others satisfied themselves that Baldock had simply fainted and that all the things can be tremendous.
Oli McBurnie, a former Sheffield United teammate who’s now taking part in for Las Palmas in Spain, was so sure that it wasn’t true that he did the identical factor as Palmer-Brown and known as Baldock, absolutely anticipating him to reply. When Baldock’s cellphone rang out, McBurnie despatched just a few messages. Then he known as John Lundstram, one other ex-Sheffield United participant and, in McBurnie’s phrases, “in all probability George’s greatest pal”. Lundstram, who had spoken to Baldock earlier within the day, was completely at midnight too.
Baldock, left, and McBurnie, centre, throughout their time collectively at Sheffield United (George Wooden/Getty Pictures)
Quickly, although, the individuals who have been positive to know the reality confirmed the worst attainable information.
A variety of Panathinaikos workers and gamers — Schenkeveld, Magnusson, Zeca, Ruben Perez and Tonny Vilhena amongst them — went to Baldock’s condo that night and waited outdoors.
Magnusson was the primary participant to reach. “I went there to attempt to assist as a result of I didn’t consider that George was lifeless,” he says. “I believed that they (the emergency providers) might nonetheless assist and revive him. However after I noticed 20 police guys on motorbikes outdoors his home, and the ambulance as properly, the workers members (from the membership), and the investigative police going inside, then I realised: ‘F***. He’s gone.’”
A workforce of detectives from two separate police models have been known as in to take fingerprints and verify for some other DNA. However there was no proof of any disturbance, or indicators that something had been tampered with contained in the property, and a forensic scientist shortly dominated out any legal exercise.
A bottle of some description was discovered on the condo, in addition to two glasses, however the significance of both is unclear and likewise straightforward to overanalyse with none context. A number of information retailers in Greece reported that alcohol had been discovered on the property — one thing that Vlachopoulos had talked about in an earlier interview — however police have neither confirmed nor denied that’s the case.
Soccer was the very last thing on anybody’s thoughts at Panathinaikos. Thursday’s coaching session was cancelled however the membership nonetheless needed everybody to report back to the coaching floor.
Diego Alonso, the top coach, and Giannis Papadimitriou, the membership’s technical director, addressed all of the workers and gamers in a gathering that lasted not than 10 minutes. Folks have been tearful, nonetheless in a state of shock and, greater than something, struggling to course of what had occurred.
“I bear in mind Papadimitriou saying, ‘Good morning. As you recognize, George Baldock is not with us…’ and that’s the final phrases I heard from him,” Magnusson says. “I felt like there was a stone in my throat. I couldn’t maintain my emotions. I stood up from my seat and I simply went additional and additional away, subsequent to the wall (in the back of the room), as a result of at the moment I couldn’t hearken to something that he was going to say about George. I had been there the evening earlier than and… I knew greater than a variety of the opposite gamers.”
Palmer-Brown puffs out his cheeks. “That was one of many darkest days of my life getting into there and seeing everybody. There have been no phrases that could possibly be mentioned that might make anybody really feel any otherwise.”
Palmer-Brown grew to become shut pals with Baldock after his transfer to Greece (Nick Tre. Smith/Icon Sportswire through Getty Pictures)
The Panathinaikos gamers have been advised to overlook about soccer, go residence, spend time with their households and hug their family members.
By that stage, there was already anger amongst workers and gamers about among the media protection of Baldock’s loss of life — and that was about to worsen. Because the Panathinaikos gamers have been leaving the coaching floor on Thursday, a well-liked tv present in Greece was broadcasting reside outdoors Baldock’s residence and turning the loss of life of a 31-year-old man right into a story in regards to the measurement and value of his condo.
ANT1 TV, a free-to-air tv channel in Greece that’s operated by the broadcaster Antenna, additionally used footage of Baldock’s condo that had been despatched in by a viewer and filmed with a drone within the wake of his loss of life. The video confirmed the realm across the swimming pool, the place all the things remained untouched from the evening earlier than. At one level a nonetheless picture was used to circle a bottle on an outdoor desk.
All of the whereas, Giorgos Liagas, the present’s presenter, talked in regards to the property’s views, the variety of rooms and its worth.
“The home the place he lived, by the seashore in Glyfada, is likely one of the dearer residential places of each Greece and Europe,” Liagas mentioned, earlier than speaking in regards to the worth of the house, the rental prices and who paid for it.
Apart from inaccuracies within the reporting, the tone of that complete phase of the present, to not point out the usage of the drone footage, felt deeply insensitive. It upset individuals at Panathinaikos in addition to members of the Greece nationwide workforce, and prompted a public backlash on social media.
Liagas issued an apology 24 hours later, when he admitted to a “grave mistake”. He mentioned that he took full duty for his actions on the present and described his reporting as “a very improper journalistic evaluation”.
By that time, Tasos Bakasetas, the Panathinaikos and nationwide workforce captain, had already publicly known as out among the Greek media for disrespecting Baldock’s household and “telling lies”.
Bakasetas made these feedback after an evening of excessive emotion at Wembley, the place Greece pulled off one of many best victories of their historical past in essentially the most tough circumstances conceivable.
The truth that the England recreation went forward appears outstanding, making an allowance for Baldock’s relationship with the Greece gamers. Baldock had performed for his nation as not too long ago as March within the Euro 2024 play-off tie towards Georgia, when he picked up a severe calf harm that sidelined him for the remainder of the season, and all however three of Greece’s match-day squad for the England recreation had been with Baldock at one level or one other with the nationwide workforce.
These numbers solely inform a part of the story, although. Baldock — and this actually shines by whenever you discuss to the Greece gamers — related along with his team-mates on a human stage. The Greek gamers didn’t identical to Baldock; they liked him.
“George was a fantastic individual inside and outdoors of the pitch,” Pantelis Chatzidiakos, the Greece worldwide and Copenhagen defender, says, “We might see how a lot it meant to him to play for Greece. We noticed him preventing for us, for the nationwide workforce, like he’s at all times been a Greek. Generally he performed video games when he was not 100 per cent match, taking large dangers, and in the event you do that as a participant for the nationwide workforce we admire it loads.”
Baldock representing Greece in June 2023 (Seb Daly/Sportsfile through Getty Pictures)
Amid so many tough conversations in London after Baldock’s loss of life, Greece approached UEFA verbally, and informally, to ask in regards to the England fixture being moved to a different date. Though there have been large query marks in regards to the gamers being in the proper state of mind to play towards England, Greece’s major motive for wanting the match to be cancelled was as a mark of respect to Baldock.
UEFA’s determination to press forward with the sport will not be one thing that the Greece Soccer Federation needs to spend any time discussing now, purely as a result of that debate overlooks the one factor that actually issues to them. “We misplaced a team-mate. We misplaced a pal,” says one senior determine, who requested to talk anonymously because of the delicate nature of the difficulty.
At round 7.30pm on Thursday, shortly earlier than the England-Greece recreation kicked off, the Baldock household launched a press release. “We’re heartbroken with the sudden passing of our beloved George. We will affirm {that a} autopsy examination has discovered that George tragically drowned while swimming within the pool at his residence in Glyfada, Athens.
“George, you have been essentially the most particular father, fiancee, son, brother, uncle, pal, teammate and individual. Your enthusiasm and infectious character introduced a lot love to people who have been lucky sufficient to know you and those who adored you from the stands. We are going to ceaselessly cherish the particular reminiscences we’ve got of you, and you’ll proceed to reside on in your lovely son. You have been because of fly residence at present for us to have fun his first birthday collectively, however as an alternative we mourn your loss.”
(Ryan Pierse/Getty Pictures)
The Greece gamers have been unaware of these deeply transferring phrases till later within the night, after they returned to the away dressing room at Wembley with tears of their eyes and Baldock’s No 2 shirt of their arms after parading it across the pitch on the ultimate whistle on the again of a poignant and dramatic 2-1 victory. It was the right tribute.
“Georgey — for you,” Lazaros Rota, the Greece and AEK Athens defender, mentioned, pointing into the tv digital camera.
Three days later, Greece adopted that up with one other emotional win, this time towards the Republic of Eire in Athens, the place Baldock’s identify reverberated across the stadium earlier than kick-off after a wonderful montage was performed on the display screen whereas the gamers gathered across the centre circle.
Bakasetas kissed and eliminated his black armband after opening the scoring and Petros Mantalos did the identical when he added a late second.
“The win towards England and at present towards Eire is totally for George,” Chatzidiakos mentioned afterwards. “We miss him loads.”
Bakasetas after scoring towards the Republic of Eire (Milos Bicanski/Getty Pictures
How on earth do Panathinaikos return to taking part in soccer and get by the remainder of the season?
“That’s an excellent query as a result of it’s been two days of coaching since and it feels nowhere close to the identical,” says Palmer-Brown, who was speaking on Tuesday afternoon.
The Panathinaikos first-team squad returned on Monday, when Papadimitriou, the membership’s technical director, lit a candle and positioned it on the centre spot of one of many coaching pitches, the place all of the workers and gamers gathered to look at two minutes of silence.
Coaching went forward afterwards, but it surely’s completely comprehensible that some gamers are nonetheless struggling to deal with soccer. “Clearly, everybody mourns and grieves in their very own manner and, in actuality, soccer goes on,” Palmer-Brown says.
“Nevertheless it doesn’t really feel proper, not less than to me. I do know my team-mates and I’ll do our greatest to go ahead. However, for me, I don’t see myself simply transferring on and taking part in soccer fortunately ever once more. I’ve by no means felt like this earlier than.”
Palmer-Brown admits he’s struggling to sleep at evening, when his “ideas simply run”. He additionally retains enthusiastic about Baldock’s fiancee.
“I haven’t even discovered the phrases to succeed in out (to her),” he says. “I do know I have to say one thing. I simply don’t know what to say.”
Some moments are tougher than others and produce residence the sobering actuality of what has occurred. “George sat between me and Erik within the dressing room,” Magnusson explains. “I got here in for remedy the day after the assembly with the gamers and at 10 o’clock within the morning I noticed his identify (above his locker), all his stuff — his sneakers and his flip-flops — have been nonetheless there subsequent to me. Then at 12 o’clock, I noticed nothing. All the things was gone.”
None of that is straightforward for anybody. Coaches and gamers, previous and current, are going by feelings that they’ve by no means skilled in soccer earlier than.
Chris Wilder, the Sheffield United supervisor, gave a transferring interview on the membership web site final week when he talked about feeling surprised, devastated and numb. On the identical time, Wilder expressed concern that his personal disappointment felt “egocentric” within the context of what the Baldock household are going by.
McBurnie feels precisely the identical manner. “George liked his missus and his little boy a lot,” he says. “And, for me, they’re the individuals on this that I actually really feel sorry for. I understand how exhausting it’s been for me and among the different boys (at Sheffield United) who love him, however little Brody goes to develop up and by no means know what a high man his dad was. Me and the boys have mentioned that it’s our responsibility to be a part of his life and attempt to remind him at each alternative how a lot of an incredible individual his dad was.”
Panathinaikos have vowed to be there for the Baldock household too. The membership’s proprietor Giannis Alafouzos feels a private duty and an obligation of care to help them not simply now however in the long run. Conversations are ongoing in relation to Baldock’s three-year contract — one thing that’s extra complicated than individuals may think — and there may be the potential of a charity recreation too.
Within the meantime, Panathinaikos have a soccer match to play on Sunday, away towards OFI Crete, adopted by Chelsea at residence within the Europa Convention League 4 days later.
Magnusson, who makes some extent of claiming on the finish of our interview that he would really like his condolences to be handed onto Baldock’s household and pals by this text, is determined to be again out on the pitch.
“I haven’t performed one minute this season (due to harm) however I actually wish to play the following recreation, only for George. I’m prepared for that,” he says. “I wish to present George that we did it for him, and never only one recreation however for the remainder of the season and for the years to return.”
(Prime picture: Dan Goldfarb for The Athletic)