Lukas Podolski refuses to hang up. At 40, the 2014 world champion continues to set foot on Polish lawns with Gornik Zabrze, the club he joined in 2021. His contract expires in June 2026, and everyone thought this season would be the last. But the German has just opened a door. “Basically yes, this is supposed to be my last season”he declared to the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger. Before adding with a smile:
“If we were to achieve a sporting feat, I might want to participate in it one more time. »
Gornik Zabrze leads the Ekstraklasa after 15 days. European qualification seems within reach. And Podolski could stay to live out that dream.
At the age of 40, Podolski shows that it’s not just Cristiano Ronaldo who refuses to let go of the ball. The German does it in his second country, Poland, land of his roots. Born in Gliwice in Upper Silesia before immigrating to Germany at two years old, the striker has a deep connection with this region. In Gornik, he is not just a player. He is a mentor, ambassador, leader. Despite only eight appearances this season, his influence off the field remains immense.
“I still enjoy playing, and I also take great pleasure in helping the young players in the team with my experience”he explains. “But I’m not 30 anymore, so I’m starting to feel some pain here and there. »
Podolski, an XXL career across Europe
Few footballers can boast such a rich career. Trained in Cologne, where he scored 79 goals in two spells, Podolski then joined Bayern Munich in 2006. There, he won a Bundesliga-Cup double in 2008, although competition from Miroslav Klose and Luca Toni held him back. Returning to Cologne in 2009, he found his best level before joining Arsenal in 2012. In London, Arsène Wenger made him a darling of Emirates Stadium. Podolski scored some memorable goals, including one against Liverpool at Anfield, and helped the Gunners end a nine-year drought by winning the 2014 FA Cup.
With Germany, Podolski has experienced everything. 2014 world champion alongside Mesut Özil and Per Mertesacker, he has 130 caps and 49 goals. He participated in three World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014) and is among the top scorers in the history of the Mannschaft. If Gornik Zabrze achieves the feat this season, perhaps Podolski will extend. And who knows, if Julian Nagelsmann is looking for experience for the 2026 World Cup, he could always call the veteran back. After all, even in his forties, Podolski remains in good shape. And he still loves football.
Off the field, Podolski has also built an empire. Co-founder of the Baller League with Mats Hummels, he owns a chain of kebab shops, ice cream parlors and an indoor football complex in North Rhine-Westphalia. He also runs his own clothing brand. But despite these entrepreneurial successes, football remains his primary passion.
“I really enjoy working off the field. I’m 40 now, so my priorities have changed. But playing still gives me just as much pleasure. » Gornik Zabrze leads the Polish championship. A European qualification could convince Podolski to stay. And honestly, why not? He’s still running.
