By Kostas Lianos, Digital Sports Reporter

IT was back in 2019 when Greece legend Vasilis Torosidis – the heir to Euro 2004 hero Giourkas Seitaridis – retired from international duty after 101 caps.

A giant void was left behind at right-back, many talented players tried to step up – and none of them could fill those big boots.

But, soon enough, I started to hear whispers about a Premier League ace with Greek heritage who’s a starter week-in and week-out…

That was none other than George Baldock, born in Buckingham on March 9, 1993, to English parents but qualified for Greece through his grandmother.

And what a season he was having. The right-back starred for Sheffield United as they surprised the Prem in the 2019-20 campaign – their first in 12 years – by finishing in the top half of the table.

Baldock was among their standout players as he registered a staggering 3,420 minutes played – the joint highest along with the likes of Declan Rice and Virgil van Dijk.

The defender was keen to make the big step to the international stage with his grandmother’s homeland – and it didn’t take long until he shook hands with the Greek football federation (EPO) chiefs.

However, a long and arduous paperwork slog stood in the way – with the then Sheffield United star claiming Covid-19 and Brexit slowed things down.

Greece finally got the right-back they were begging for for years as Baldock made his debut on June 2, 2022 in a Nations League clash at Northern Ireland as a late substitute.

It didn’t take long until the English-born ace owned the right flank at the back and impressive performances followed.

Perhaps none compare to the Euro 2024 qualifier against France in June 2023 when Baldock did the unthinkable and kept Kylian Mbappe quiet for 104 MINUTES, despite being injured and playing through “unimaginable” pain.

I still remember speaking to then-Greece manager Gus Poyet about his player’s stunning performance, and I will never forget the big smile the Chelsea legend had on his face.

Poyet reminded me of a proud father as he took me through the injury hell the full-back endured before squaring up against perhaps the world’s best player for his country.

A beaming Poyet told me: “Against the Republic of Ireland [three days beforehand] – and now that it is finished I can say it – after 20 minutes he had a very bad twist in his ankle, very bad. He was very close to come out. I asked him, ‘Can you hold until half-time?’

“At half-time his ankle was very, very swollen. He asked for a strapping and he asked me for five minutes. Give me five minutes and we’ll let you know. And he had an unbelievable second half running up and down and being outstanding.

“You don’t imagine the ankle after the game. You don’t imagine the ankle the day after, after the flight to France. Black and blue – swollen. And a day-and-a-half later you need to play against Mbappe.

“Ninety per cent of people will think, no chance. And I keep talking to him, individually. And he keeps saying to me, ‘Coach I’m gonna be there no worries’.

“And he didn’t play 20 minutes, he didn’t play 60 minutes, he played 104 minutes because the referee gave 14 minutes of injury time against Mbappe.”

It’s easy to understand how loyal Baldock was to every team he ever played for during his 15-year career, just by looking at his stats.

The Greek ace started his career at MK Dons in 2009 where he amassed a staggering 125 appearances throughout an eight-year stint that also saw him playing on loan for Northampton Town, Tamworth, IBV and Oxford United.

The defender joined Sheffield United in 2017 and registered a whopping 219 appearances in seven years that also saw him helping his team achieve two Premier League promotions.

Baldock’s work ethic and commitment was no different in Greece as he proudly stated two years ago: “To play for the national side is a great honour and a lot of pride involved for me and my family.

“Representing my country through my late grandmother, it’s a very proud moment for me and my family. I love the country and I will fight for every success”

Baldock never played for England at any level, but he always competed like a lion and he proved it on Sunday in his last ever match when he started for Panathinaikos, whom he joined in the summer, against eternal rivals Olympiacos in perhaps the most intense derby in Europe.

He served his team with honour as he helped them pick up a valuable point in a goalless draw against their in-form foes, who had just played their best game of the season with a 3-0 win over Braga in the Europa League a few days earlier.

He only managed 12 caps for Greece before his sudden and tragic death at the age of 31 on Wednesday in Athens.

But his fighting spirit and charisma at right-back with the white and blue, as well as his remarkable run in the Premier League and the Championship, show that he is leaving a legacy behind for many Greek and English fans to look up to.

This week Celtic were fined nearly £17,000 by Uefa after some supporters used pyrotechnics at their recent Champions League defeat at Borussia Dortmund.

The club were also hit with a suspended ban on selling tickets to away fans for one European game, should there be more breaches of the rules by supporters in the next two seasons.

Rodgers urged fans not to land the club in more trouble, stressing pyrotechnics are not necessary for supporters to generate a good atmosphere.

“If you do keep doing it, you’re showing that you don’t really care,” Rodgers said.

“You don’t really care for the team. You don’t care for the support and you don’t care for your club because the club ultimately are getting fined as well.

“So if you keep doing it, you’re clearly showing that you’re actually not really worried about your own club, you’re worried about yourself. So it doesn’t need it.”

JOEY ESSEX has had his boxing debut postponed – but talks for the TV star to fight are still ongoing.

The Only Way is Essex legend was in line to feature on Misfits Boxing’s “super card” in Qatar with KSI’s brother Deji his scheduled opponent.

1

But Deji, 27, was announced on the November 28 card noticeably without an opponent.

It leaves Essex’s boxing debut up in the air but Misfits head honcho Mams Taylor revealed the door is still wide open.

Taylor told SunSport: “Well, let’s see how this plays out.

“But, Joey and I have had conversations and I think he’d be great on Misfits.

“He’s naturally such a villain, like a lovable rogue and we need characters like him and I’m confident Joey will will appear on Misfits sooner or later.”

Misfits Boxing was launched in 2022 by YouTuber-turned-prizefighter KSI and his music mogul manager Mams Taylor.

And it has become a home to celebrity-style crossover bouts with stars of the boxing, MMA and social media world involved in big fights.

Taylor expects reality TV’s Essex, 34, to join their roster – just not yet against 2-4 Deji.

CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS

He said: “Deji was just a bit too experienced for your first fight and although I think it would have made a great story it just didn’t materialise in the end.

“But yeah, I look forward to having Joey on in the future. I think rather than fight Deji for his first fight, I think he’ll want to get some experience in there, see how it plays out.

“And then I think that’d be a big fight in the future. Maybe he’ll get a couple of wins under his belt, build the story and and I think it could happen.”

Essex’s uncle Tony Sims is an esteemed coach who formerly trained Anthony Joshua and often has his celeb nephew in his Romford gym.

MMA Fighting has UFC Vegas 99 results for the Hernandez vs. Pereira fight card, a live blog of the main event, and more from UFC APEX in Las Vegas on Saturday night.

In the main event, surging middleweights Anthony Hernandez and Michel Pereira square off. Hernandez has won five straight fights, while Pereira has reeled off eight straight wins.

Rob Font and Kyler Phillips compete in a bantamweight contest in the co-main event. Font has lost four of his past five fights, while Phillips has won three straight.

Check out the UFC Vegas 99 results below.

Main Card (ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET)

Anthony Hernandez vs. Michel Pereira

Rob Font vs. Kyler Phillips

Charles Johnson vs. Sumudaerji

Darren Elkins vs. Daniel Pineda

Preliminary Card (ESPN+ at 4 p.m. ET)

Matheus Nicolau vs. Asu Almabayev

Brad Katona vs. Jean Matsumoto

Joselyne Edwards vs. Tamires Vidal

Jessica Penne vs. Elise Reed

Melissa Martinez vs. Alice Ardelean

Austen Lane vs. Robelis Despaigne

Continue reading with advertising …

… or with a subscription

Visit motorsport.com as usual with advertising and tracking. You can revoke your consent at any time via the data protection page.¹

Use motorsport.com without any advertising banners, personalized tracking and commercials for a small fee.

Accept and continue

More information about advertising and tracking in our Data protection notice, the List of our partners and in Data protection information center.

Already a subscriber?

Log in here