England play Greece at Wembley on Thursday night, in the Three Lions’ third match of their Nations League campaign.
Interim manager Lee Carsley will want to continue a strong start that saw his England squad win 2-0 against both the Republic of Ireland and Finland, though Greece have also picked up six points from their opening two games.
But why are England players wearing black armbands during the game? FourFourTwo explains the reasons behind the move below.
Why are England players wearing black armbands against Greece?
Players from both England and Greece will wear black armbands at Wembley on Thursday night, to pay respect to former Sheffield United defender George Baldock, who sadly died on Wednesday.
The exact details of his death remain unknown, though the 31-year-old was found in the pool of his house in Athens. After rushing to the scene, a doctor in the response unit pronounced him dead on Wednesday evening.
A Greek international through his grandmother, Baldock played 12 times for the national team between 2022 and 2024. He made his debut against Northern Ireland in June 2022, though he had failed to make a squad since March earlier this year.
After leaving Sheffield United in the summer, having made 219 appearances in all competitions for the Blades since 2017, Baldock joined Panathinaikos on a three-year deal. He also played for MK Dons, Northampton Town and Oxford United during his career.
England and Greece’s players will pay tribute to Baldock through the black armbands.
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Baldock’s family released a statement on Thursday: “We can confirm that George has sadly passed away. As a family we are in shock at this terrible loss. We ask please that the media respect our privacy at this time.”
Panathinaikos also posted their own statement: “We are shocked, we are shocked by the loss of our George. The family of Panathinaikos mourns his untimely death. We stand with the family and loved ones of George Baldock.”
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