Former Sheffield United defender George Baldock dies at age 31

Former Sheffield United defender George Baldock has died at age 31, leaving the football world mourning.

George Baldock, former Sheffield United defender and Greece international, has tragically died at the age of 31. Baldock was found unresponsive in the swimming pool of his home in Glyfada, southern Athens, on Wednesday. Emergency services attempted to resuscitate him, but he was pronounced dead at the scene, as confirmed by Reuters, citing police sources.

Baldock, who had recently joined Panathinaikos after a seven-year stint with Sheffield United, made 219 appearances for the Blades, helping them achieve promotion to the Premier League in 2019 and 2023. Sheffield United expressed their shock, stating, "The sincere condolences of everyone associated with Sheffield United are extended to George’s family and friends."

The Greek Super League also released a statement, mourning his untimely death: "The entire Super League football family expresses its deep sorrow for the untimely loss of Panathinaikos and our national team footballer, George Baldock."

Baldock, born in Buckingham, qualified for the Greece national team through his grandmother and earned 12 caps after making his debut in 2022. Panathinaikos and Greece's national team changed their social media profile pictures to black as a tribute.

Manchester United's Harry Maguire, a former Sheffield United teammate, shared a tribute on X with a picture of Baldock and the message "RIP" accompanied by a broken heart emoji.

The English Football League (EFL) also paid tribute, stating, "The EFL is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of George Baldock, a player who made a lasting impact with spells across the league."