Resignation of Lukas Podolski: The Prince is breaking up

The 40-year-old looks back on an impressive career that included the World Cup crowning in Brazil. Trained in the youth ranks of 1. FC Köln, Podolski made his professional debut in 2003. The Polish-born striker quickly became a cult figure at FC.
Many goals helped Podolski, but also his cheeky, self-confident demeanor and his openly communicated love for the club from the cathedral city. “I always wanted to be honest, the boy from the street,” he once said about his inimitable personality.

In June 2004, Podolski made his debut for the German senior national team. Together with his friend Bastian Schweinsteiger, he shaped the DFB team in the coming years. The duo “Poldi” and “Schweini” represented a new style and fresh performances from the German selection.
“He’s a bit like Cologne: entertaining, never boring, always carrying a positive attitude towards life with him. That’s how he infected everyone else and pulled him along,” said former national coach Joachim Löw about Podolski on the TV channel ProSieben. “And he was approachable, down-to-earth with an incredible empathy for the people, for the fans.”
At club level, Podolski moved to FC Bayern Munich. With the German record champions he celebrated the double of the championship and DFB Cup victory in 2008. A return to Cologne was followed by stints at FC Arsenal, Inter Milan, Galatasaray Istanbul, Vissel Kobe in Japan, Antalyaspor and finally Zabrze.

After moving to his youth club, the footballer advanced the club from his country of birth on many levels – sportingly, structurally and through his network. In December last year, the footballer, who was born in nearby Gliwice, Poland, acquired shares in the club, becoming the second largest shareholder.

“I also really enjoy working off the pitch. I’m 40 now, so my priorities have shifted. The club has enabled me to get a taste of many areas,” Podolski emphasized in an interview last year.
On Thursday, the Zabrze city council unanimously approved the proposal to sell 86 percent of the shares in Gornik to Podolski. Accordingly, the selling price is the equivalent of 940,000 euros. “Now I’ll buy the rest,” Podolski said. The former German international is committed to financing the club in the coming years. The privatization agreement stipulates that the owner must contribute the equivalent of almost three million euros in the coming years. This passage enabled the sales price to be reduced.

In addition to football, the DFB legend has already built up other mainstays. Together with Mats Hummels he founded an indoor league. Podolski also owns several kebab shops and ice cream parlors in North Rhine-Westphalia. His projects also include a soccer hall and his own fashion label.