Lukas Podolski: Footballer and investor in Cologne and Poland

Occasionally you see his sports car parked in the almost legal parking space in front of the kiosk, license plate LP, then Lukas Podolski stops by his ice cream parlor on Brussels Street. When he opened the restaurant in the Belgian Quarter in Cologne eight years ago, the police had to redirect the cars; the line of people waiting stretched all the way around the corner, which consisted of both a selfie queue in front of the owner and a queue of customers in front of the ice cream counter. Things are quieter in December due to the season, so the boss will cause less of a stir the next time he visits. He is expected in the café next week. “Poldi has more time now,” says the managing director.