Lukas Podolski was full of his usual charm at his final press conference on international duty ahead of Germany’s friendly against England. The striker will captain the national side on his 130th and last appearance.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/M. Becker
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It was somewhat fitting that the day before Germany bid farewell to Lukas Podolski on the pitch, they did so in the German Football Museum in Dortmund.
Like fellow World Cup winners Bastian Schweinsteiger and Philipp Lahm before him, Podolski makes his move from Germany international to a part of Germany history. And on Tuesday, he admitted it was a strange feeling to be going through the pre-match rituals one last time.
"There have been some moments where I've thought, this is it," Podolski said on Tuesday.
Picture Gallery: Bye bye Poldi!
Lukas Podolski scored a scorching winner against England in his 130th and final match for Germany. He will be missed by the fans, particularly those from his hometown of Cologne.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Becker
Lethal left peg
As the man himself said, a farewell like a script from a movie. In his 130th and final match for Germany, Podolski scores his 49th international goal. And it was one of his best. A scorching drive into the top corner to secure a 1-0 friendly win against England in Dortmund.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/B. Thissen
Just fire the ball into the net!
In the autumn of 2003, Lukas Podolski made his Bundesliga debut with the club that brought him up through its youth system, FC Cologne. At the tender age of 18 he scored 12 goals for the Billy Goats. His recipe for success: "Just fire the ball into the net, then head home."
Image: picture-alliance/Pressefoto Ulmer/B. Hake
Cologne lad
Podolski was born in Poland, but he grew up 20 kilometers (12 miles) west of Cologne, which he describes as "my dearly beloved city." No matter where he would venture in the world of football, "Prince Poldi" would always find time to send warm wishes to Cologne and its residents. This feeling of warmth has always been mutual.
Image: dapd
Rookie on the international stage
Podolski made his first appearance for Germany in a 2-0 defeat to Hungary in a friendly match in June, 2004. Head coach Rudi Völler brought him on for the last 15 minutes of the match. At 19 years and two days old, he was the third youngest player (until then) to have made his debut for Germany or West Germany - after Uwe Seeler and Olaf Thon.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/C. Koepsel
BFFL
The entire nation seemed to revel in Germany's hosting the 2006 World Cup, and the antics of Poldi and his friend Bastian Schweinsteiger were all part of the fun. "Asked about "Schweini's" haircut, Podolski quipped: "It took just 15 minutes - and it shows." Schweinsteiger has described Podolski as one of the people "who will always be a special part of my life."
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/A. Hassenstein
A beer shower for friend
In 2006, Podolski joined his friend Schweinsteiger at Bayern Munich. However, he never really settled in. The media would describe his three years in the Bavarian capital as "one big mistake." However, he did win the double with Bayern in 2008 - taking the opportunity to give his buddy Schweini a beer shower.
Image: picture-alliance/Sven Simon
A slap heard across Germany
Although Michael Ballack captained the national team for several years, he wasn't popular with everybody who played with him. The clearest evidence came when Poldi slapped Ballack in the face during a World Cup qualifier against Wales in 2009. "I have apologized," Poldi said afterwards. "It was a mistake on my part, and it shouldn't have happened."
Image: picture-alliance/ dpa
The return of the prodigal son
In 2009 Podolski returned home to the River Rhine. The attacker "is as much a part of FC Cologne as the cathedral is of Cologne itself" the city's mayor at the time, Fritz Schramma quipped. However, Podolski wasn't the messiah that Cologne's management had hoped that he would be.
Image: dapd
An FA Cup title
After three not particularly successful seasons back at Cologne, Podolski accepted a transfer to Arsenal. The move to London agreed with him and in 2014 he was part of the Gunners team that won the FA Cup.
Image: Reuters
World Cup champion
His greatest achievement was being part of the German team that won the 2014 World Cup in Brazil in 2014, even though he only saw 53 minutes of playing time. Poldi's is seen of having played a key role in keeping the team's spirits up when the going got tough.
Image: AFP/Getty Images
Man of the people
Euro 2016 in France was Podolski's seventh and final major tournament. His only action with in the round of 16 when he was subbed in for the final 15 minutes, much to the delight of the German fans, with whom he celebrated the victory. Poldi truly is a man of the people.
Image: Getty Images/A. Hassenstein
Quick wit
Poldolski got what must have been the biggest laugh at Euro 2016. When asked about coach Löw having been caught on camera reaching into his trousers during a match, Poldi replied: "Eighty percent of the guys in this room have scratched their balls at some point or another." Even most of the journalists at the press conference at the German camp in Évian-les-Bains laughed out loud.
Image: picture-alliance/GES-Sportfoto/M. Gilliar
Five goals in a game
In 2015, Podolski moved from Arsenal to Galatasaray via Inter Milan, where he would become a fan favorite. Back in January, Podolski scored five goals in a 6-2 win over Turkish league rivals Akhisar Belediyespor, making him something of a legend at Galatasaray. In the summer he is to move to Japanese club Vissel Kobe.
Image: picture-alliance/AA/O. Coban
There's only one Lukas Podolski
In Lukas Podolski, the nation team is losing one of its most colorful characters. "Nowadays, it seems like everyone is looking for computer-controlled players, players out of a catalogue," the 31-year-old said recently. "There is no more room for characters, which is unfortunate, because they are what make football so special." Good-bye Poldi, a lot of German fans will miss you.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Becker
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The 31-year-old's entrance was followed by a montage (of course) of Podolski's best moments. There were thank you wishes from Rudi Völler - the man who promoted him from the U21s to the first team - and from the man in charge before Joachim Löw - Jürgen Klinsmann. It is with Löw though, that Podolski is closest.
"I've learned a lot from him, on and off the field," Podolski said of Löw, who was equally generous with his praise.
"Lukas is irreplaceable. We've had a lot of tournaments, some lows, but also the greatest high. We will miss the player and the person Podolski," Löw said.
"He is one of the greatest players ever to play for Germany," Löw added. In recent years, such great memories are hard to recall but great is the right word to describe Podolski's time in a Germany shirt.
Podolski is the final pillar of Germany's post-2000 resurrection to walk off into the (Japanese) sunset. Once a quick attacker with a terrifying left foot, Podolski's quality has blurred in recent years at international level. Yet, he did what most cannot and remained important to the squad even when he was not playing at his best. As he departs, appreciating Podolski is to appreciate how a player has become part of Germany's famous "team behind the team."
Smiling and as entertaining as ever, Podolski couldn't resist making a joke. He tricked the translator into saying Philipp Lahm had announced his move to Chicago Fire, when it was in fact Bastian Schweinsteiger. Later, he grinned while saying Löw would have the privilege of sharing his room the night before the game. It wouldn't have been a Podolski press conference without a quip or two.
"Maybe because we've had a great coach for 10 years," Podolski said with his trademark smile when asked about the major difference between England and Germany at major tournaments. But there's a stinging truth to the former Arsenal man's comments. A comeback win in Berlin last year was supposed to be the start of something special for England, but little has materialized. Löw did say England had become a team willing to take more risks since the Euros last summer, though.
Planning for the next major tournament is Germany's priority, and how to deal with a post-World-Cup-winning group. Although this game against England is only a friendly, it is part of their preparation ahead of Sunday's World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan. Löw talked about a "no mercy policy" in competitive matches, but even with the emotional attachment to the fixture a similar approach against England wouldn't be a surprise.
"Time flies, even for a footballer. It's bags packed and on the road," Podolski said. On Wednesday night in Dortmund, "Poldi" will do it one last time.
