ATHENS, Oct 10, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Greek football was in shock Thursday at the death of Panathinaikos and Greece international George Baldock, with tributes uniting even the country's usually hostile rival fans.

The 31-year-old English-born right-back -- a former Sheffield United stalwart in the Premier League -- was found dead on Wednesday evening in a swimming pool at his home in the southern Athens suburb of Glyfada.

"We can confirm that George has sadly passed away. As a family we are in shock at this terrible loss," his family said in a statement.

State TV ERT said an autopsy showed that Baldock had died by drowning. Toxicology tests are still pending.

News of Baldock's death dominated social media with the top-flight Super League and clubs sending condolences even before Panathinaikos posted their own statement.

Even fans from clubs hostile to Panathinaikos expressed grief at the loss of a genuinely well-liked player.

ERT reported that Baldock was "at the bottom of the pool" and that a bottle of vodka was found at the scene.

Panathinaikos owner Giannis Alafouzos on Thursday urged media to show "respect" after one morning talk show aired drone footage of Baldock's pool, and another described the house's size and its monthly rent.

"We hope we will not find ourselves in the unpleasant position of taking legal action to protect George's memory," Alafouzos said in a statement.

State news agency ANA said Baldock's wife, who is abroad, alerted the owner of the residence after unsuccessfully trying to reach the player on the phone.

As police cars and an ambulance were dispatched to the scene, several Panathinaikos players gathered outside the building and a coroner was called.

ERT said that the player had been dead for about five hours when he was found, and that foul play was not suspected as the body showed no injuries.

The apartment also showed no evidence of forced entry.

Baldock joined Panathinaikos in May after a seven-year spell with Sheffield United, relegated from the English Premier League to the Championship last season.

Of Greek origin through his father, he was called up by the Greek national team in 2022 by then-manager Gus Poyet.

Poyet said he was "devastated" by the news. UEFA said the European football community was "deeply saddened".

Baldock had 12 caps, but had not been selected for the team's Nations League match against England at Wembley on Thursday because of injury, ERT said.

- 'One of our own' –

The Greek federation called Baldock "one of our own" and has requested that Greece's players wear black armbands for the game.

Baldock had featured for Panathinaikos in a 0-0 draw with Olympiacos in a Greek Super League match on Sunday where he played for 75 minutes.

The club's training sessions for Thursday and Friday were cancelled.

Both the Greece team's official website and his club's social media sites on X and Facebook, were blackened in tribute to the player.

Messages of support poured in from Premier League clubs including Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea, who face Panathinaikos in Conference League action later this month.

Manchester United's England international defender Harry Maguire, a former Sheffield United player, posted "RIP" and a heartbreak emoji alongside an image of Baldock on Instagram.

Sheffield United changed their homepage to a black and white photo of their former player with the words: "RIP George Baldock."

"Sheffield United Football Club is shocked and extremely saddened to learn of the passing of former player, George Baldock," said the club.

Baldock's boyhood club MK Dons said they were "deeply devastated and saddened" while Northampton, where he had a loan spell in 2011, also paid tribute.

The Football Association in England wrote on X: "We are devastated to learn of the passing of George Baldock at the age of 31. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with George's family, friends and team-mates at club and country."

Baldock was nicknamed "Furious George" by Sheffield United fans in tribute to his uncompromising style.

"I just love winning. I hate losing and I even hate drawing," he told local media.