Greece captain Tasos Bakasetas has strongly criticized certain sections of the Greek media for spreading falsehoods regarding the death of George Baldock, who was his former club teammate at Panathinaikos. Bakasetas emphasized that their surprising 2-1 victory over England should not have proceeded.
During the match at Wembley, tributes were paid to Baldock, the former Sheffield United and Greece defender, who tragically passed away at the age of 31. Bakasetas, speaking to The Mirror, described the victory as the most significant of his career. He expressed immense pride in his teammates, who, despite the devastating news, gave their all from the start. He insisted that football should take a back seat and dedicated the win to Baldock and his family.
Bakasetas condemned certain media members for using the tragedy inappropriately, accusing them of telling jokes and making insinuations. He stressed the importance of humanity and respect, especially towards Baldock's grieving family and those close to him.
He further argued that the match at Wembley should have been postponed, criticizing those trying to exploit the tragic event. In his view, respecting Baldock and his loved ones should have been the priority, not proceeding with the football match.
Before the game, Bakasetas delivered an impassioned speech to his teammates in the dressing room, honoring Baldock's legacy and urging them to give their all in his memory.
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Vangelis Pavlidis paid tribute to Baldock after scoring his first goal by kissing his black armband, and later netted the winning goal, securing the unexpected victory for Greece.
Greece have beaten England for the first time ever in their history