In Milton Keynes, a city about 80 kilometers northwest of London, the funeral of George Baldock is currently taking place.

Present there, apart from relatives and friends, is the entire Panathinaikos team led by Giannis Alafouzos, who arrived early this morning on a charter flight. The football department and executives of the club are in Milton Keynes, and the delegation will return to Athens early Thursday morning.

Also in the English city are his teammates from English football, as well as, according to reports, members of the Greek National Team.

Gagkatzis on Baldock: “His memory will remain alive”

A few hours before the funeral of George Baldock, the president of the Hellenic Football Federation (EPO), Makis Gagkatzis, said his final “goodbye” to the tragically departed footballer. Makis Gagkatzis emphasized that the memory of George Baldock will remain alive, with the EPO announcing that the deputy president Nikos Tzortzoglou and the vice president of the National Teams Committee Pantelis Hatzimarinakis will attend the funeral, along with members of the National Team, Vasilis Torosidis, and Dimitris Salpingidis.

The EPO’s announcement in detail:

“On the occasion of George Baldock’s funeral today in England, the president of EPO, Makis Gagkatzis, made the following statement.

“Today, the National Team, the Hellenic Football Federation, and the entire Greek football community bid farewell to George Baldock, who left us unexpectedly and prematurely.

His absence and the void he leaves behind make the pain of loss even greater, but his memory will remain alive, and this will be the greatest tribute to his valuable contribution and love for the blue-and-white jersey, for which we honor and thank him.

Sincere condolences to his family and loved ones, who need our support and solidarity.

Safe travels…”

The Federation will be represented at the ceremony by deputy president Nikos Tzortzoglou and vice president of the National Teams Committee Pantelis Hatzimarinakis, along with Vasilis Torosidis and Dimitris Salpingidis representing the National Team.

Wonderful gesture from MK Dons, sent a jersey with Baldock’s name to Panathinaikos

In addition to the Greek teams that honored the memory of the Panathinaikos player in every way possible, MK Dons, where he previously played, paid tribute to their former footballer. The English team sent George Baldock’s jersey to the Greens, who photographed it next to their own and made a joint post on Instagram.

“For George. George Baldock’s football journey is remarkable and will forever be celebrated by those who knew him. His great talent, work ethic, and smile will never be forgotten in Athens and Milton Keynes,” reads the caption of the post.

The Greek ambassador to the United Kingdom at the funeral

The Greek ambassador to the United Kingdom, Mr. Giannis Tsaooussis, will also attend the funeral. Speaking to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (AMNA), he stated that he wants to honor the memory of the Greek international footballer with his presence. “A young man who was known and beloved by the staff of our Embassy,” said the Greek ambassador, emphasizing that “the unexpected death he suffered caused deep sorrow not only in Greek football but also in the English football community and more broadly in Greece and the United Kingdom.” He also noted that “the image we saw on October 10 at Wembley, with players from the National Teams of Greece and England paying tribute to George Baldock with a minute’s silence, and the fans of both teams united, will remain etched in our memory.”

Since the tragic night of October 9, when George Baldock passed away, plunging his loved ones as well as Greek and English football into sorrow, the honorary tributes in his honor have been endless.

The most recent was the tribute in the printed program of his former team, Sheffield United, which sold out almost immediately. Thus, the team announced it would reissue it as some people took advantage of the sensitivity of the fans who could not get their hands on it, selling it on a well-known auction site for 900 percent more than its original value.

It is also worth noting that there are early discussions about creating a space that will bear his name with the contribution of Greeks living in the wider Milton Keynes area. The first proposals suggest a small football field or a space where children can play. “Something, in any case, that will keep his memory alive,” say those participating in the discussions.