Former Germany Forward Podolski To Retire From Football

COLOGNE, May 23 (Bernama-dpa) -- Former Germany forward Lukas Podolski will retire from professional football, German Press Agency (dpa) reported.

He made the announcement in a video posted on Instagram by his Gornik Zabrze club on Instagram on Friday.

"Well, that's it for today," the 2014 World Cup winner says in the video, while packing up his things and looking back on his career. "Thank you, football."

Zabrze still have one final league match against Radomiak Radom on Saturday, during which a tribute to the 40-year-old is expected.

Podolski was born in Poland and moved to Germany at a young age. Before joining Zabrze in 2021, he played for clubs that included Cologne, Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Galatasaray, and Vissel Kobe.

Podolski helped Zabrze win the Polish Cup this season for the first time since 1972.

Podolski made his debut for the Germany in 2004. Together with his friend Bastian Schweinsteiger, he helped shape the squad in the years that followed. 

The duo – "Poldi and Schweini" – marked a new style and a fresh approach for the national team.

In addition to football, Podolski has already established other sources of income. Together with former defender Mats Hummels, he founded an indoor football league. 

He also owns several kebab shops and ice cream parlours in the North Rhine-Westphalia state. His projects also include his own clothing brand.

He is set to gain full ownership of Zabrze. Podolski has shares in the club and said, "Now I will buy the rest," he said earlier this week.

The Zabrze city council unanimously backed a proposal to sell 86 per cent of the remaining shares to Podolski, the PAP news agency reported on Wednesday.

-- BERNAMA-dpa