Lukas Podolski will put on a Cologne jersey for the last time on Thursday. Manuel Neuer, Hansi Flick, Jogi Löw and Co. are there.
On Thursday, October 10th, the ball will roll for Lukas Podolski (39)’s big farewell game in Cologne’s Rhein-Energie Stadium from 8:45 p.m. His favorite club, 1. FC Köln, hosts events in his living room like Patrick Helmes (40) and Marcel Risse (34). Poldi’s legendary team will also feature numerous world champions from 2014.
Podolski’s call was followed by Manuel Neuer (38), Per Mertesacker (40), Benedikt Höwedes (36), Kevin Großkreutz (36), Roman Weidenfeller (44), Ron-Robert Zieler (35), Christoph Kramer (33), Matthias Ginter (30) and Erik Durm (32). Despite prior announcement, Bastian Schweinsteiger (40) and Mats Hummels (35) unfortunately cannot be there. The legendary team is strengthened by current teammates of Lukas Podolski, who is currently still playing in the first Polish league for his hometown club Gornik Zabrze. World champion coach Jogi Löw (64), his former assistant Hansi Flick (59) and goalkeeping coach Andreas Köpke (62) are active on the sidelines as coaches.
“Our 10 are returning home – one last time in rut and wiess”
The tickets for the farewell game in the former Müngersdorf stadium under the motto “Our 10 are returning home – one last time in Rut and Wies” were completely sold out just a few days after the first announcement in August. “It touches me very much that so many fans want to experience this special evening with me in Müngersdorf,” said Podolski at the time. It would be an honor for him to carry the billy goat on his chest again in front of a full hut.
The game will of course also be broadcast live on TV: At 7:45 p.m., presenter Sebastian Pufpaff (48) will report on ProSieben with a special edition of from the stadium. , consisting of Matthias Opdenhövel (54), Wolff-Christoph Fuss (48) and Andrea Kaiser (42), to report on what is happening on the pitch.
Lukas Podolski has played for 1. FC Köln since he was a youth player and signed his first professional contract in 2003. After three years at FC Bayern Munich, he moved back to the club he loved in 2009, for which he played until 2012. He later laced up his football boots for FC Arsenal, Inter Milan, Galatasaray Istanbul, Vissel Kobe, Antalyaspor and, since 2021, for the Polish club Gornik Zabrze. He played a total of 130 times for the DFB team and scored 49 goals. In 2014 he became world champion in Brazil.
After his active career, which is expected to end in the summer, he is aiming for a position with the Cologne team. “We are in good and constructive discussions about how I could contribute to FC after my active career.”
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
