Lukas Podolski is a Bundesliga legend having starred for Cologne and Bayern Munich within the German prime flight whereas additionally incomes himself a spot in his nation’s soccer historical past for his performances with the Mannschaft, and being a part of the 2014 FIFA World Cup win — bundesliga.com pays tribute to the Cologne boy made very, superb.
“I’ve typically been requested the query, ‘What was your greatest second in soccer?’ Actually, I haven’t got one,” stated Podolski. “From 2003 to now, I am completely proud of the entire of my profession. Quite a few cities, wins, defeats, targets, assists — it is all a part of me and defines me.”
He definitely has performed in plenty of cities and nations: Munich with Bayern, London with Arsenal, Milan with Inter and Istanbul with Galatasaray. But when there may be one metropolis that basically does outline Podolski, it’s Cologne.
Watch: Lukas Podolski’s prime 5 targets
Podolski was not born there. When he got here into the world on 4 June 1985 it was within the Polish metropolis of Gliwice, however he was simply two years outdated when his mother and father, former footballer Waldemar and ex-international handballer Krysztyna, and his sister headed throughout the border to then-West Germany, travelling to the Domstadt to re-join their youngsters’s paternal grandparents.
“We had nothing,” stated Waldemar, who made the transfer within the dying throes of the Chilly Conflict. “That is when Lukas began entering into soccer. Every single day, he can be on the market on the playground with a ball.”
It’s a good distance from these first tentative dribbles in Bergheim, a suburb of Cologne, to proudly owning a string of kebab outlets, an ice cream parlour, a sportswear model with a store within the centre and, properly, typically being considered a residing legend of the town.
The sensation is mutual. “It is exhausting to place into phrases,” stated Podolski, looking for how you can specific his connection to the town that made him. “There are occasions once I’m completely in love with it. Once I land on the airport or stroll down sure streets, once I see the stadium for instance, then I get butterflies in my abdomen. Then I realise I am dwelling.”
He was not all the time that comfy. Hailing from an immigrant household, at first Podolski was not even Lukas – he as a substitute wrote his first identify with the Polish spelling Łukasz. However his soccer potential, which stood out early on, earned him kudos in social circles, and in addition the nickname by which he’s universally identified in Germany.
He was simply six when he joined Jugend 07 Bergheim, his native membership, and inside 4 years he was pulling on the shirt of his first soccer love: 1. FC Köln. With a flurry of gamers referred to as Lukas within the squad, Podolski was christened ‘Poldi’. And sure, it has caught.
“I simply went for it and took on the problem,” defined Podolski of how he established himself in a fiercely aggressive atmosphere. “I used to be this child from Poland, an immigrant child, who did not let himself get pushed round in coaching. I stated to myself, ‘So, now you are right here, practice!’ In fact, you additionally want a bit luck and a coach who has religion in you. That was my case, too. And everybody is aware of what got here after that.”
Marcel Koller is the person Podolski means, the one who noticed the potential and took the chance. At the beginning of the 2003/04 season, the 18-year-old Podolski was nonetheless a part of the membership’s youth set-up — scoring eight instances within the opening eight video games for the U19 aspect — to catch Koller’s eye.
Marcel Koller gave Lukas Podolski his Bundesliga break whereas Cologne coach. – Vladimir Rys/Bongarts/Getty Photos
“I turned Cologne coach in November 2003 and shortly thereafter I noticed Lukas Podolski on a soccer pitch for the primary time. Instantly you observed issues: that he had a really sturdy left foot, an ideal centre of gravity, that he is very dynamic and highly effective,” defined Koller, who determined to take his younger protégé on a first-team coaching camp and the remaining is, properly, German soccer historical past.
In fact, Koller’s gamble paid off handsomely. On 11 November 2003, Podolski signed his maiden professional deal, and an additional 11 days on, he was a Bundesliga participant making his debut towards Hamburg. Three days later, he netted the primary of his 55 German top-flight targets for the membership in a 1-1 draw with Hansa Rostock. He ended the season with 10 targets in 19 Bundesliga appearances, a feat by no means beforehand achieved by an 18-year-old. How good an achievement was that? It took Florian Wirtz — one other Cologne youth academy product — to assert the report from him. That was in September 2021.
“It wasn’t like it’s now. In my day, there have been quite a bit fewer gamers who acquired to play within the prime flight so younger,” Podolski defined. “I do know what I owe Marcel Koller. With out him, I’d maybe be enjoying for Bergheim as we speak, and would not have been in a position to have such a profession.”
There was no stopping Cologne’s teenage prodigy. The membership’s drawback was that the remainder of the group have been very stoppable certainly. Relegated that season, they bounced again up instantly due to Podolski’s league-high 24 targets in 30 Bundesliga 2 video games solely to return down once more as an additional 12 top-flight strikes from the younger ahead weren’t sufficient. As his beloved membership yo-yoed between divisions, Podolski needed to transfer to make sure his profession maintained an upward trajectory.
Podolski’s (c.) time at Bayern Munich was not the happiest of his profession – Koichi Kamoshida/Getty Photos
“I am wanting ahead to a brand new problem,” stated Podolski, who – aged 21 – was anticipated to take the step up in his profession that he couldn’t have made with Cologne. “One other yr within the second division would not have been OK for me.”
The promise of Podolski had been considerably enhanced by his worldwide performances. Having made his debut as a shock inclusion within the squad for UEFA Euro 2004, he turned a central determine within the rebuilding of the nationwide group and was key in Germany ending third at their dwelling FIFA World Cup in 2006, the place Podolski was named Greatest Younger Participant forward of the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
However why not Poland? Think about what Robert Lewandowski and he may have performed up entrance collectively… “Nobody urged to me to play for Poland when it was nonetheless attainable,” defined Podolski. “The officers missed their probability.”
Watch: Podolski’s prime long-range targets
His worldwide profession blossomed simply as his membership profession additionally ought to have, however as a substitute it stalled at Bayern. Below Felix Magath, Ottmar Hitzfeld and his 2006 World Cup father-figure Jürgen Klinsmann, Podolski by no means clicked with the report German champions. He performed the complete 90 minutes in simply 13 of his 71 league video games, and scored solely 13 targets, a paltry return for such a expertise.
Two of these strikes got here – together with 5 assists – in his last 5 league appearances for the membership when Klinsmann had been sacked and changed by Jupp Heynckes. “If Heynckes had come earlier,” stated then-Bayern president Uli Hoeneß just a few years later. “Lukas would maybe nonetheless be enjoying for us.”
However the harm had been performed. “If I had identified that it might go because it did, then I would not have even signed,” stated Podolski. Even the swelling of his medal assortment as Bayern gained the double in 2007/08 couldn’t ease his ache. Although he nonetheless had 12 months to go on his contract on the Allianz Enviornment, there was just one place Podolski needed to be come the tip of the 2008/09 marketing campaign.
“I needed to return to Effzeh, to the followers, the Südkurve,” he stated. “I may have performed within the Champions League for years, however at the moment, I did not give a f**ok.”
How may Cologne afford to carry a famous person again dwelling? Michael Schumacher. Nicely, not solely due to the seven-time Components One world champion who was born simply outdoors Cologne, however he did contribute €875 of the estimated €10 million switch payment by shopping for a few of the 37,500 pixels of a web-based Podolski image at €25 a pixel that was used, partly, to fund the transfer.
“So, boy, you determined to observe your coronary heart,” Schumacher wrote on the membership’s web site. “Now you’ll be able to present what you’ve got acquired and permit all FC followers to have a good time once more.”
The person who bears his dwelling metropolis’s identify and crest on his proper bicep definitely does have an emotional attachment to the membership. “I do this from the center, as a result of part of Cologne is all the time in me — the town, the followers, the individuals, they’ve given me a lot,” stated Podolski after brandishing the membership’s flag on the Maracana pitch after Germany had gained the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the largest prize Podolski picked up within the 130 caps he gained for his nation.
A primary-choice Germany worldwide on the time, it was little surprise the Cologne followers may barely consider their prodigal son had returned to the RheinEnergieStadion. They maybe shouldn’t have been too stunned that the comeback didn’t match their stratospheric expectations, nevertheless.
His first season again was a battle, and although the 2010/11 marketing campaign was higher — he scored 13 instances in 32 video games and was named captain — the arrival of Stale Solbakken for the 2011/12 season made life extra turbulent for Podolski.
Stale Solbakken’s appointment as Cologne coach forged a shadow over Podolski’s second spell on the membership. – Christof Koepsel/Bongarts/Getty Photos
The brand new Cologne boss handed centre-back Pedro Geromel the captain’s armband: cue a frenzied response from the followers at what they noticed as an unforgiveable act of lèse majesté by Solbakken.
“I can perceive the reactions this choice has provoked, and I perceive the frustration of some followers,” stated the Norwegian boss, who highlighted Podolski’s comprehension of the transfer too. “In my thought of enjoying, he has an vital position as a matchwinner. All of us within the teaching employees are satisfied of his qualities as a participant and his potential to supply performances.”
Podolski definitely responded positively on the pitch. He completed the season because the fourth-top scorer within the division with 18 targets in 32 appearances, nevertheless it was one other heroic effort in useless. He couldn’t single-handedly save his group from relegation and one other transfer beckoned.
He signed for Arsenal, although took his dwelling city with him by singing ‘Viva Colonia’ at his initiation with the Gunners. He additionally packed a weighty CV that had been embellished by his achievements for his nation.
Although the World Cup win was nonetheless two years away, Podolski had struck the second-fastest senior worldwide objective of all-time when he hit the web after simply 9 seconds of the late Might 2013 pleasant towards Ecuador. “I’d be mendacity if I stated that it meant nothing to me. I am going to fortunately take it, however I would not place it too extremely as I’ve already scored extra vital targets.”
He definitely had already introduced up a extra vital landmark earlier than arriving within the British capital, profitable his one centesimal cap within the opening group sport at UEFA Euro 2012 on the age of 27 years and 13 days to set a brand new world report as the sport’s youngest worldwide centurion and knock legendary compatriot Franz Beckenbauer off prime spot.
“I’ve all the time stated that 100 caps is a milestone I would like to attain, a dream, and there is a sure pleasure,” stated Podolski, who was surpassed by Spain’s Sergio Ramos in Might 2013. “But it surely’s not my goal to go chasing after statistics. There are 1000 extra vital issues.”
Maybe he would not indulge within the egocentric pursuit of massaging his numbers, however he did chase a selfie with then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel when she arrived within the dressing room to congratulate her nation’s greatest footballers on having lifted the World Cup in Brazil.
Podolski performed simply 53 minutes of Die Mannschaft‘s triumphant march to the summit of the worldwide sport as his worldwide profession was already beginning to wind down, lastly coming to an finish after UEFA Euro 2016.
“It was powerful for me to come back to this choice. The nationwide group has all the time been an affair of the center for me and all the time shall be,” wrote Podolski in his farewell to Germany followers on his Instagram account. “The whole lot has its time, and my time with the nationwide group is over.”
That was August 2016, however come March 2017, Podolski was profitable the final of his caps in becoming style with a pleasant towards England in Dortmund. It ended 1-0 with Podolski, named captain for his swansong, thrashing in a long-distance screamer – one thing of a specialty, and his forty ninth objective for his nation – to win it. It’s straightforward to sum up his place in Germany’s pantheon of greats: solely Miroslav Klose and Germany’s 1990 FIFA World Cup-winning captain Lothar Matthäus have performed extra instances for the four-time world champions, and solely Klose and Gerd Müller have scored extra targets.
Sarcastically, Podolski’s first look for Arsenal was in a 4-0 pleasant win towards Cologne, the native boy scoring twice. It set the tone for a profitable first season in England that ended with a complete of 16 targets and 11 assists. He helped the Gunners finish a nine-year trophy drought with an FA Cup last win simply earlier than he went to Brazil, however consigned to a bit-part position after turning into world champion, Podolski was at one other crossroads. “In fact I am not proud of my state of affairs proper now,” he stated. “I am unable to be happy with that. It is exhausting when you’ll be able to’t do what you like.”
He left for Inter Milan on mortgage in January 2015, after which joined Galatasaray on a everlasting foundation the next summer season, profitable a Turkish Cup – and scoring the profitable objective within the last towards his membership’s arch-Istanbul rivals Fenerbahce – a yr later. He then, in March 2017, made a shock announcement that he would becoming a member of an unique membership containing Pierre Littbarski, Guido Buchwald, Uwe Bein, Frank Ordenewitz and Michael Rummenigge of German gamers who had plied their commerce in Japan.
He added an Emperor’s Cup to his assortment and after two-and-a-half years returned to Turkey with Antalyaspor. His story there turned bitter over 18 months, nevertheless it did have a cheerful ending as he, in summer season 2021, went again to his roots. No, not Cologne. His different roots.
“I am delighted that I am dwelling and that I can play on this stadium,” stated Podolski upon signing for Gornik Zabrze, the Polish top-flight aspect situated a handful of miles from his birthplace. “It is much more emotional [than his return to Cologne from Bayern] as a result of I used to be born right here. My entire household are followers of this membership. Now I am carrying the shirt, and the final sport of my profession, I’ll play it for Gornik.”
When that last 90 minutes comes goes to be all the way down to Podolski, who turns 37 in June. When he does dangle up his boots, although, he will certainly have yet one more homecoming in him.
“Lukas is an idol for an entire era of FC followers and can all the time discover an open door right here,” stated Cologne president Werner Wolf. “We want to use his love and the highlight he brings FC, and on the similar time, accompany Lukas within the vital and really private steps within the transition from an energetic profession to the time afterwards.”
“We had a pleasing and open trade, and I wish to thank the FC officers for that,” stated Podolski. “I am wanting ahead to planning collectively how I can assist FC.
“As a result of Cologne is and stays my dwelling, and FC is my membership.”