"Football ain't no game of chance, mate! That's what Lukas Podolski showed us in his unforgettable career"
A man, much like Lukas Podolski from Germany, remains unfamiliar with certain aspects.
By Ben Redelings*FacebookTwitterWhatsappE-MailPrintCopy Link*More than two decades ago, Lukas Podolski started his football journey at 1. FC Köln. With his carefree and endearing demeanor, he quickly captured the hearts of football fans nationwide. Today, the celebrated World Cup hero and linguistic whiz celebrates his 40th birthday.
Pele once praised Lukas Podolski: "Besides Ballack, he's the only one who could play in the Brazilian national team." And former striker and retired coach Jupp Heynckes touted the loveable German: "If I had a left foot like Lukas Podolski, I wouldn't have scored 220 Bundesliga goals, but 500." The national player continues to score goals today, always abiding by his favorite motto: "Football is simple: just get that ball in and then head home."
During the 16th matchday of the 2003/2004 season, the young star of 1. FC Köln was first introduced to a wider audience. After the game against Hansa Rostock, Podolski gave an unforgettable interview to Premiere reporter Christian Sprenger: "The first goal from the dude next to me. Congratulations, right? You can't complain on your fourth game, can you?" Podolski: "Well, yeah, but, of course, the win was missing, right? When you're that close, you want to win too, don't you!" Sprenger: "Why didn't it work out in the end? Because of the penalty? Did some drama flare up?" Podolski: "Yeah, I think first, there's the penalty, and then we score against - that's obviously bullshit, mate! You have to be careful about that."
## Lattek cracks a joke about Podolski
Just three days after the TV interview, the tram driver Podolski nonchalantly looked at a reporter who had observed him leaving the training ground in luxurious company cars of a local automobile brand with a massive factory in Cologne. The young Bundesliga goal scorer remained and grinned: "One day, I might have one of those cars too." At that time, everyone at the Geißbockheim knew that this day was not far off.
"FC will always be my club and always remain so," "Prinz Poldi," as the tabloids nicknamed him at the start of his career, said when he moved to FC Bayern Munich. When he finally returned, Franz Beckenbauer remarked: "He just has to make sure they don't flatten the town in Cologne, although the houses are already falling down..." At that time, the Historical City Archive had collapsed under unfortunate circumstances.
In the cathedral city, Podolski always enjoyed all the perks that a star can demand. This led former master coach and later TV commentator Udo Lattek to make the following humorous remark: "How do you know it's Thursday in Cologne? Lukas Podolski comes to training for the first time in the week."
## Provocation against Argentina
Lukas Podolski was no stranger to life not always being a bed of roses in his career. He knew how to defend himself and even his own teammates. In 2009, he shoved his captain in the national team, Michael Ballack, in front of running cameras during an international match. And verbally, Podolski always knew how to confidently face the opponent. While half the team was still celebrating with the defeated Argentinians on the pitch after the quarter-final victory in the 2006 World Cup, Podolski was already grinning on the sidelines: "I don't care if they're bad losers. They're going home now."
Four years later, Podolski didn't just want to leave it at words after another game against Argentina. After the defeat, he had words with a journalist and wanted to settle the matter outside. Yet again, Podolski called out: "Come on! Come out!" Fortunately, there were enough helping hands to bring the national player out of the danger zone. Because Lukas Podolski can indeed be a hothead, as Harald Strutz, the president of Mainz 05, had also noticed and criticized: "Poldi reminds me of Boris Becker at his worst times. Becker also always got out of rhythm when he moaned too much and threw his racket. Then he always lost."
Otherwise, the republic knows Lukas Podolski as a jovial chap who enjoys a practical joke from time to time. When he once took a nearly life-sized action photo of himself from the wall in the Munich dressing room and put it in his pocket, Podolski grinned and said: "I'm from Poland, they steal everything." Perhaps the photo was also just a consolation for one of the most bizarre moments Podolski ever had to experience. In a conversation during the 2006/07 season, the then Bayern coach Felix Magath told him: "Lukas, you're running wrong." Then the coach stirred his tea thoughtfully and was silent for minutes. Finally, he said thoughtfully: "Lukas, you're running wrong." When Podolski asked what he could do better, Magath sent him out of the room. As Podolski left, Magath called after him: "Lukas, you're just running wrong." Podolski just kept running as usual afterwards, and it didn't hurt him.
This can also be seen in a unique thing: At just 20 years old, Podolski already had an incredible record. He had scored the "Goal of the Month" eight times at that point. Years later, when his Cologne teammate Christian Clemens also won the award for a goal, Podolski mischievously grinned at Clemens: "I've already congratulated him on his first Goal of the Month. Now he just needs ten more to catch up with me." But even this joke didn't last long.
Football"Ciao, the moron from Zabrze" Lukas Podolski stirs up huge drama in the football world"
In December 2022, 37-year-old Lukas Podolski scored a goal from over fifty meters away for his club Gornik Zabrze, winning the "Goal of the Month" award for the 13th time. This is a legendary record, as the runner-up, Jürgen Klinsmann, has only seven such goals. And there could be more to come, as Podolski recently extended his contract in Poland until June 2026, promising to end his career there. That would mean he has spent nearly 23 years as a professional footballer. An extraordinary and simply impressive feat!
Reiner Calmund's saying might still need time to be put to the test: "Lukas Podolski is a muscular horse with a shot, a likable, easy-going type who loves harmony and peace. Lukas won't become a heavyweight, but perhaps a small, cozy one. The wonderful cuisine of his Silesian homeland could contribute to that." It's hard to imagine this energetic and agile Lukas Podolski settling for anything short of greatness.
One thing many still overlook about Lukas Podolski is that he has made some very interesting and significant statements about football. His brilliant quote, "That's football. Sometimes the better one wins," was even named "Football Quote of the Year" by the "German Academy for Football Culture" in 2006. And "I don't think before the goal - I never do" and "Dribbling alone? Forget it!" have become part of the slang of many amateur players. And Podolski's motto on the football field will stand the test of time: "I don't have to talk nonsense. I just put it in the net and that's it." All the best and good luck, dear Lukas Podolski, on your 40th birthday!
Source: ntv.de
- Lukas Podolski
- Football
- 1. FC Köln
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Here are some notable statements about football from Lukas Podolski:
- "Football is like chess, only without the dice." This quote highlights the strategic nature of football, emphasizing the lack of randomness that is often associated with dice in chess[1].
Lukas Podolski is a World Cup-winning German footballer known for his impactful career in top-tier leagues. While this quote is one of his most notable, it encapsulates the essence of football as a game that requires strategy and skill rather than luck.
If you're looking for more quotes from football personalities, there are many other inspiring statements from players like Ronaldinho, Diego Maradona, and Xavi that reflect the artistry, teamwork, and legacy of the sport[1].
The Commission has not yet adopted a decision on the application of Article 93 (2) of the Treaty in relation to the European leagues, particularly the Premier League, as football continues to captivate the world. Lukas Podolski, during his illustrious career, demonstrated a deep understanding of the game, once remarking, "Football is like chess, only without the dice," emphasizing the strategic nature of the sport.
