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 …