By the time Lukas Podolski played his last match for Germany, it had long since been clear that he was past his best as a player. However, Joachim Löw and the national team may come to miss him more than they think.
Image: Reuters/W. Rattay
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It was worth waiting 70 minutes for. It was worth waiting through a poorly timed speech from German football association (DFB) President Reinhard Grindel. It was worth watching a first half of tepid football with little evidence of why a game was even necessary to say goodbye. It was worth it all for that one moment when Lukas Podolski scored a goal harking back to the golden moments of his career. It was a goal that deserved to win any game, but fittingly it won his last one in a Germany shirt.
With a slap of the badge on his chest and a parting wave, Podolski departed with six minutes to go. The stadium had waited for this moment, but was still reeling from the fairytale goal that Podolski had just scored. It wasn't until Podolski took selfies with the crowd, climbed into the stands to sing with the fans and was thrown in the air by his teammates that it might have dawned on Germany what they have lost.
In this month's edition of German football magazine "11 Freunde," Podolski said: "From 80 million people, 22 or 23 are called up for an international friendly. If I am one of them, am I supposed to complain?"
The 31-year-old has never lost touch with his roots, he has never changed his relaxed, friendly, humorous manner. It's what made him so rare in modern football, and what him indispensible to the balance of Germany's squad.
It has been clear for a while that on the pitch, he won't actually be missed and tonight was, for the most part, more damming evidence. Before the goal, Podolski looked slow and was snatching at his chances. The crowd was anxious, and it didn't feel like the departure Podolski deserved. However, as things so often tend to go in sports, the fairytale ending was yet to come.
Better than Hollywood
"You couldn't have written it better in a script," Julian Weigl told DW afterwards. Not even Podolski - a man famous for delivering some great lines over the years - could have imagined such a finish. "It's difficult to describe. You have to experience it," Podolski said.
The game itself was something many felt they could have been spared. The Podolski goal and standing ovation for his departure would have sufficed. An impressive choreography, an indifferent performance and far too many Mexican waves were familiar but unnecessary additions to this Germany game.
England should have won and spoiled the party, but Marc-André ter Stegen delivered a timely performance between the posts for the national team. Jonas Hector will be hoping his performance is quickly forgotten, whereas Mats Hummels was at his commanding best.
"You could see that the processes weren't there and that the young lads, myself included, wanted to impress," Weigl said. Timo Werner certainly did that on his debut, but was perhaps a little overly eager to do well.
Life goes on
"As a person, we will definitely miss him, but I think we have a lot of good and experienced players who can replace him,” Leroy Sané said. Weigl echoed these sentiments, saying this young side didn't need to hide and was ready to take up the mantle as the old guard stepped down.
Behind the tweets, the smiles, and the emotion of the evening also lies a hard truth for Germany. The absence of Lukas Podolski unbalances the Germany squad. Thomas Müller might well take up his mantle, but never has there been a Germany player capable of making humor and ease such a pivotal part of a team's winning formula.
"You idiots," was Podolski's initial reaction when he was asked how he felt about being in the mixed zone with all of the national team reporters one last time. He smiled and followed it up with heartfelt thanks for all the media's work during his years in a Germany shirt. It was one last reminder of his unique character - a Cologne boy but a Germany man, who will be missed by the national team more than they yet know.
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.
