Lukas Podolski facts for kids

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Lukas Podolski

Podolski playing for Górnik Zabrze in 2023
Personal information
Full name	Lukas Josef Podolski
Birth name	Łukasz Józef Podolski
Date of birth	(1985-06-04) 4 June 1985 (age 40)
Place of birth	Gliwice, Poland
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Forward, attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team	Górnik Zabrze
Number	10
Youth career
1991–1995	FC 07 Bergheim
1995–2003	1. FC Köln
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2003–2004	1. FC Köln II	2	(0)
2003–2006	1. FC Köln	81	(46)
2006–2009	Bayern Munich	71	(15)
2007–2008	Bayern Munich II	2	(0)
2009–2012	1. FC Köln	88	(33)
2012–2015	Arsenal	60	(19)
2015	→ Inter Milan (loan)	17	(1)
2015–2017	Galatasaray	56	(20)
2017–2020	Vissel Kobe	52	(15)
2020–2021	Antalyaspor	40	(6)
2021–	Górnik Zabrze	109	(23)
International career
2001–2002	Germany U17	6	(2)
2002–2003	Germany U18	7	(4)
2003	Germany U19	3	(6)
2004	Germany U21	5	(0)
2004–2017	Germany	130	(49)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Germany FIFA World Cup Winner 2014 Brazil Third 2006 Germany Third 2010 South Africa UEFA European Championship Runner-up 2008 Austria–Switzerland Third 2012 Poland–Ukraine FIFA Confederations Cup Third 2005 Germany
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:12, 26 May 2025 (UTC)

Lukas Josef Podolski is a professional footballer who plays as a forward or attacking midfielder for Ekstraklasa club Górnik Zabrze. He is famous for his powerful and accurate left-footed shots. He is also known for his explosive shooting and clever attacks from the left side of the field.

Podolski joined 1. FC Köln in 1995 as a young player. He made it to the first team in 2003. After playing 81 games for Köln, he moved to Bayern Munich. With Bayern, Podolski won the Bundesliga (German league) and the DFB-Pokal (German cup) in 2008. He returned to 1. FC Köln in 2009. Later, he joined Premier League club Arsenal in 2012, where he won the FA Cup in 2014. He then played on loan for Serie A club Inter Milan in 2015. Six months later, he signed with Galatasaray and won the Turkish Cup in 2016.

Lukas Podolski was born in Poland. He could have played for either Poland or Germany. He wanted to play for Poland but was not chosen by their coach in 2003. He had already played for Germany's youth teams. After joining the senior German team in 2004, Podolski became very successful. He played in seven major tournaments and helped Germany win the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He is one of Germany's most capped players, with 130 games. He is also one of their top goalscorers, with 49 goals.

On May 29, 2013, Podolski scored Germany's fastest goal at that time. It happened just nine seconds into a friendly match against Ecuador. Podolski retired from international football on March 22, 2017. In his final game, he scored the winning goal as captain against England.

Club Career

Starting at 1. FC Köln

Podolski playing for Köln in 2006

Lukas Podolski started playing football at age six. He joined the youth team of FC 07 Bergheim. At age ten, he moved to 1. FC Köln. His amazing talent was quickly noticed there. In 2003, when he was 18, Köln's main team was struggling. The coach, Marcel Koller, invited Podolski to train with the senior players.

Podolski made his first-team debut on November 22, 2003. Even though Köln was relegated to a lower division, Podolski showed his skills. He scored 10 goals in his first 19 games. This was a record for an 18-year-old in the Bundesliga until 2021.

Many top clubs became interested in Podolski after he was called up for UEFA Euro 2004. However, he decided to stay with Köln. He helped the club get promoted back to the Bundesliga in the 2004–05 season. He scored 24 goals, becoming the league's top scorer. It was unusual for a player from a second-division team to be part of the national squad.

After Köln was promoted, Podolski was expected to keep the team in the Bundesliga. He scored 12 goals in the 2005–06 season. But Köln was relegated again. It became clear that Podolski would not stay this time. He was becoming a very important player for the German national team.

Time at Bayern Munich

In 2006, big clubs like Liverpool, Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid wanted Podolski. On June 1, 2006, Podolski announced he would join Bayern Munich for the 2006–07 season. He played his first Bundesliga game for Bayern on August 11, 2006. He came on as a substitute in a 2–0 win against Borussia Dortmund.

On September 9, 2006, he scored an equalizer in a DFB-Pokal game against FC St. Pauli. He scored just 26 seconds after coming on as a substitute in the second half. On October 14, 2006, he scored his first Bundesliga goal for Bayern. This helped his team win 4–2 against Hertha BSC. Later, he got injured during training and missed several weeks.

After Bayern signed Italian striker Luca Toni in 2007, Podolski played less. The coach preferred to play Miroslav Klose and Toni together. However, Bayern won the league and cup double in the 2007–08 season. This gave Podolski his first major trophies.

Even with a new coach, Jürgen Klinsmann, Podolski struggled to get a regular spot in the team. After an unhappy time at Bayern, he returned to Köln on July 1, 2009.

Back to 1. FC Köln

Podolski's national team coach, Joachim Löw, told him that returning to FC Köln would not hurt his chances with the national team. So, Bayern Munich and Köln agreed on his transfer in January 2009. He officially returned to Köln on July 1, 2009, signing a four-year contract.

Köln even created a special website where fans could buy pixels of Podolski's image to help pay for his transfer. Formula One driver and Köln fan Michael Schumacher bought some pixels.

Podolski had a tough first season back at Köln, scoring only three goals. However, one of his goals was a free kick against his old club, Bayern, which helped Köln get a draw.

In the 2010–11 season, Podolski scored his 50th Bundesliga goal. He finished that season with 13 goals and seven assists.

The 2011–12 season was his last in his second time at Köln. Even though the team was relegated again, Podolski scored 18 goals in 29 league games.

Out of respect for his loyalty, 1. FC Köln decided to retire his famous No. 10 shirt. This meant no one else would wear it while he was still playing football. However, Köln started using the number 10 shirt again in the 2014–15 Bundesliga season.

Playing for Arsenal

2012–13 Season

Podolski playing for Arsenal in 2012

Podolski was linked with Premier League club Arsenal for a while. On April 30, 2012, it was officially announced that he had signed a long-term deal with Arsenal. On August 12, 2012, he played for Arsenal in a pre-season match against his former club, Köln, scoring two goals in a 4–0 win. He took the number 9 shirt.

Podolski played his first official game for Arsenal on August 18, 2012, against Sunderland. He scored his first goal for Arsenal on September 2 in a 2–0 win against Liverpool. He also assisted Santi Cazorla for his first goal for Arsenal. Podolski scored his second goal in the next game, a free-kick in a 6–1 victory against Southampton.

On September 18, 2012, he scored his first UEFA Champions League goal for Arsenal in a 2–1 away win against Montpellier. He scored again in the Champions League as Arsenal beat Olympiacos 3–1. Podolski continued to score important goals, including one in a 5–2 win against Tottenham in the North London derby. He also helped Arsenal reach the last 16 of the Champions League by scoring against Montpellier again.

Podolski played a key role in a 5–2 away win against Reading. He scored the first goal and assisted two others, helping Santi Cazorla score his first hat-trick. On December 30, 2012, Podolski contributed to a big 7–3 win against Newcastle. He made a pass for Arsenal's first goal and scored a header himself.

On January 23, 2013, Podolski had a great game as Arsenal beat West Ham 5–1, scoring one goal and setting up three others. He scored the only goal in a 1–0 win over Stoke City on February 2. On April 13, Podolski scored in a 3–1 win over Norwich City. He then played as a central forward and scored twice in a 4–1 victory over Wigan Athletic, which led to Wigan's relegation. Podolski finished his first season at Arsenal with 16 goals and 11 assists.

Podolski warming up for Arsenal in 2014

2013–14 Season

On August 24, 2013, Podolski scored his first two goals of the 2013–14 season in a 3–1 win against Fulham. However, he got injured in his next match and was out for 10 weeks. Podolski returned on Boxing Day, scoring in a 3–1 win against West Ham United.

In 2014, Podolski scored two goals in a 4–0 FA Cup win against Coventry City. He also scored in a 2–1 FA Cup win over Liverpool, helping Arsenal reach the quarter-finals. In March, he scored against his former club, FC Bayern Munich, in the Champions League. He also scored an equalizer against Swansea City in the Premier League.

Arsenal reached the FA Cup final on April 12. Podolski scored twice in a 3–1 win against West Ham United. He followed this with another two goals in a 3–0 win away to Hull City. He started in the 2014 FA Cup Final against Hull City. Arsenal won the game 3–2 after extra time, ending the club's nine-year wait for a trophy.

2014–15 Season

After winning the 2014 FIFA World Cup with Germany, Podolski and his teammates were excused from the 2014 FA Community Shield. Arsenal won this match 3–0 against Manchester City.

In November, Podolski expressed his unhappiness about not playing much for Arsenal. He said it was hard when he couldn't do what he loved.

Loan to Inter Milan

On January 5, 2015, Arsenal announced that Podolski had joined Serie A club Inter Milan on loan for the rest of the 2014–15 season. He made his debut on January 6 in a 1–1 draw against Juventus. Podolski was not included in Inter's squad for the UEFA Europa League knockout stages. On April 28, 2015, Podolski scored his only goal for Inter, winning the match 2–1 against Udinese.

Playing for Galatasaray

Podolski signed a three-year contract with Turkish club Galatasaray on July 4, 2015. He quickly won the Turkish Super Cup. In the final of the Turkish Cup on May 26, 2016, he scored the winning goal for Galatasaray in a 1–0 victory over Fenerbahçe.

Playing for Vissel Kobe

Podolski playing for Vissel Kobe in 2017

On March 2, 2017, Podolski announced he would move to Japanese club Vissel Kobe after the Turkish season ended. On July 29, 2017, he played his first match for Vissel Kobe. He scored two goals in a 3–1 win over Omiya Ardija in the J1 League. On August 11, 2018, he assisted Andrés Iniesta's first goal in the J1 League.

On December 8, 2019, he scored three goals (a hat-trick) in a 4–1 win over Júbilo Iwata. This was his first hat-trick in the J1 League.

On January 1, 2020, Podolski won his first trophy in Japan. He started in Vissel Kobe's 2–0 victory over Kashima Antlers in the final of the 2019 Emperor's Cup. This was the club's first major trophy ever.

Playing for Antalyaspor

On January 23, 2020, Podolski joined Antalyaspor in Turkey on a one-and-a-half-year contract.

Playing for Górnik Zabrze

On July 6, 2021, Podolski joined Ekstraklasa club Górnik Zabrze in Poland. He signed a one-year contract with an option for another year. He said it was his dream to finish his football career playing for Górnik. He made his debut on July 30, coming on as a substitute in a 3–1 home defeat. On November 21, 2021, he scored his first goal for Górnik Zabrze in a 3–2 win against Legia Warsaw.

On May 19, 2022, Podolski extended his contract for another year. On November 5, 2022, he scored an amazing goal from inside his own half in a 4–1 away win. On May 19, 2023, he extended his Górnik contract until 2025.

International Career

Early Career and Debut

In late 2003, after playing well in his first few Bundesliga games, Polish media suggested that Poland's national team coach should consider Podolski. He was still able to play for Poland. However, the coach ignored this, saying Poland had better strikers. At that time, Podolski was still interested in playing for Poland. But as he continued to play well, German media suggested he should join the Germany national team. By the time his full talent was clear, he had decided to play for Germany.

Even though his club, Köln, was relegated, Podolski impressed many. He made his debut for Germany on June 6, 2004, at age 19. He became the first second-division player since 1975 to join the national team.

Euro 2004

Podolski played for Germany at UEFA Euro 2004. He was the youngest player in the squad. He came on as a substitute in the game against the Czech Republic.

2006 World Cup

Podolski playing for Germany in 2006

Podolski was chosen for the Germany squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He played alongside Miroslav Klose as a forward. He scored his first World Cup goal in Germany's third group match against Ecuador. He then scored both goals in the 2–0 win over Sweden in the round of 16. He was the first player since 1962 to score two goals in the first 12 minutes of a World Cup match.

Germany finished third in the tournament. Podolski's three goals tied him for second place in goal-scoring. He was named the World Cup's Best Young Player. He won this award over players like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

UEFA Euro 2008

In a UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying game against San Marino, Podolski scored four goals in Germany's huge 13–0 win. He is one of only four German players to score four goals in an international match. On November 17, 2007, in a Euro qualifier against Cyprus, Podolski was involved in every goal in Germany's 4–0 victory. He scored one goal and was voted Man of the Match.

On June 8, 2008, Podolski played his first Euro 2008 game against Poland. He scored both goals in a 2–0 victory. He chose not to celebrate his goals out of respect for his birth country. After the game, he gave an emotional interview on Polish television.

On June 12, Germany played Croatia. Podolski scored Germany's only goal in the 79th minute. He did not celebrate this goal either. Podolski's goal was not enough, and Croatia won 2–1. On June 19, Germany played Portugal in the quarterfinal. Podolski helped set up the first goal, which was scored by Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Podolski often played as an attacking left midfielder for the national team. He was named one of the players of the tournament, along with Michael Ballack and Philipp Lahm.

2010 World Cup

Podolski (right) celebrating with Mesut Özil after Germany's win against Argentina at the 2010 World Cup

On September 6, 2008, Podolski scored the first two goals in Germany's first 2010 World Cup qualifier against Liechtenstein. Germany won that match 6–0. He scored the opening goal in a 2–1 home win over Russia. He finished the qualification campaign with six goals.

On June 13, 2010, Podolski scored the first goal in Germany's World Cup opening game. It was a 4–0 win against Australia. He also assisted Thomas Müller for the third goal. On June 18, Podolski missed a penalty in a 1–0 loss to Serbia. Even though Germany played with 10 men, Podolski had many chances but couldn't score. However, he scored against England in the last 16, giving Germany a 2–0 lead. Germany went on to beat England 4–1. In the quarter-final against Argentina, Podolski assisted one of Klose's goals. Germany won the match 4–0.

Euro 2012

During qualification, Podolski provided three assists and scored three goals. This helped Germany win all ten of their qualification matches. During Euro 2012, Podolski started all three of Germany's group games. The third game was his 100th appearance for Germany, and he scored in that match. Germany lost to Italy in the semi-finals, 2–1.

2014 World Cup

Podolski after winning the 2014 World Cup

Podolski was part of Germany's team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Before the tournament, he played in five qualification matches. In the World Cup finals in Brazil, he played in the wins against USA and Portugal in the group stages. Germany went on to become World Champions!

Euro 2016 and Retirement

Podolski was included in the squad for UEFA Euro 2016. He made a substitute appearance against Slovakia during the tournament. After the tournament, on August 15, he announced he would retire from international football. He said he wanted to focus on his family. His last international game for Germany was against England on March 22, 2017. He scored the winning goal in that match.

How He Plays

Podolski has a very powerful and accurate shot. It can reach speeds of almost 160 kilometers per hour. His former coach, Arsene Wenger, said Podolski was "certainly one of the best finishers I've ever seen." In his younger years, Podolski was very fast, but injuries later affected his speed.

He often cuts inside from the wing to shoot or pass the ball. Podolski is a strong player who can hold the ball well and make important passes. He has good dribbling skills and is also good at crossing the ball, setting up many goals for his teammates from the left side. He is also a specialist at taking penalties, having missed only two in his career.

Career Statistics

Club

International

Scores and results list Germany's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Podolski goal.

List of international goals scored by Lukas Podolski

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition	Ref.
1	21 December 2004	Rajamangala Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand	Thailand	3–1	5–1	Friendly
2				5–1
3	26 March 2005	Stadion Z'dežele, Celje, Slovenia	Slovenia	1–0	1–0	Friendly
4	4 June 2005	Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland	Northern Ireland	4–1	4–1	Friendly
5	15 June 2005	Waldstadion, Frankfurt, Germany	Australia	4–2	4–3	2005 FIFA Confederations Cup
6	25 June 2005	Frankenstadion, Nuremberg, Germany	Brazil	1–1	2–3	2005 FIFA Confederations Cup
7	29 June 2005	Zentralstadion, Leipzig, Germany	Mexico	1–0	4–3	2005 FIFA Confederations Cup
8	7 September 2005	Weserstadion, Bremen, Germany	South Africa	1–0	4–2	Friendly
9				3–1
10				4–2
11	27 May 2006	Badenova-Stadion, Freiburg, Germany	Luxembourg	3–0	7–0	Friendly
12				5–0
13	20 June 2006	Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany	Ecuador	3–0	3–0	2006 FIFA World Cup
14	24 June 2006	Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany	Sweden	1–0	2–0	2006 FIFA World Cup
15				2–0
16	2 September 2006	Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion, Stuttgart, Germany	Republic of Ireland	1–0	1–0	UEFA Euro 2008 qualification
17	6 September 2006	San Marino Stadium, Serravalle, San Marino	San Marino	1–0	13–0	UEFA Euro 2008 qualification
18				5–0
19				8–0
20				10–0
21	11 October 2006	Tehelné pole, Bratislava, Slovakia	Slovakia	1–0	4–1	UEFA Euro 2008 qualification
22				4–1
23	12 September 2007	RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne, Germany	Romania	3–1	3–1	Friendly
24	17 November 2007	AWD-Arena, Hanover, Germany	Cyprus	3–0	4–0	UEFA Euro 2008 qualification
25	26 March 2008	St. Jakob-Park, Basel, Switzerland	Switzerland	4–0	4–0	Friendly
26	8 June 2008	Wörthersee Stadion, Klagenfurt, Austria	Poland	1–0	2–0	UEFA Euro 2008
27				2–0
28	12 June 2008	Wörthersee Stadion, Klagenfurt, Austria	Croatia	1–2	1–2	UEFA Euro 2008
29	6 September 2008	Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz, Liechtenstein	Liechtenstein	1–0	6–0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
30				2–0
31	11 October 2008	Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Germany	Russia	1–0	2–1	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
32	28 March 2009	Zentralstadion, Leipzig, Germany	Liechtenstein	4–0	4–0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
33	29 May 2009	Shanghai Stadium, Shanghai, China	China	1–1	1–1	Friendly
34	9 September 2009	AWD-Arena, Hanover, Germany	Azerbaijan	4–0	4–0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
35	14 October 2009	HSH Nordbank Arena, Hamburg, Germany	Finland	1–1	1–1	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
36	18 November 2009	Veltins-Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Germany	Ivory Coast	1–0	2–2	Friendly
37				2–2
38	29 May 2010	Ferenc Puskás Stadium, Budapest, Hungary	Hungary	1–0	3–0	Friendly
39	13 June 2010	Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban, South Africa	Australia	1–0	4–0	2010 FIFA World Cup
40	27 June 2010	Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein, South Africa	England	2–0	4–1	2010 FIFA World Cup
41	7 September 2010	Red Bull Arena, Salzburg, Austria	Azerbaijan	2–0	6–1	UEFA Euro 2012 qualification
42	12 October 2010	Astana Arena, Astana, Kazakhstan	Kazakhstan	3–0	3–0	UEFA Euro 2012 qualification
43	2 September 2011	Veltins-Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Germany	Austria	3–0	6–2	UEFA Euro 2012 qualification
44	17 June 2012	Arena Lviv, Lviv, Ukraine	Denmark	1–0	2–1	UEFA Euro 2012
45	29 May 2013	FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, United States	Ecuador	1–0	4–2	Friendly
46				3–0
47	6 June 2014	Mewa Arena, Mainz, Germany	Armenia	2–1	6–1	Friendly
48	25 March 2015	Fritz-Walter-Stadion, Kaiserslautern, Germany	Australia	2–2	2–2	Friendly
49	22 March 2017	Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Germany	England	1–0	1–0	Friendly

Trophies and Awards

1. FC Köln

• 2. Bundesliga: 2004–05 (Second Division League Champions)

Bayern Munich

• Bundesliga: 2007–08 (German League Champions)
• DFB-Pokal: 2007–08 (German Cup Winners)
• DFL-Ligapokal: 2007 (German League Cup Winners)

Arsenal

• FA Cup: 2013–14 (English Cup Winners)
• FA Community Shield: 2014 (English Super Cup Winners)

Galatasaray

• Turkish Cup: 2015–16 (Turkish Cup Winners)
• Turkish Super Cup: 2015, 2016 (Turkish Super Cup Winners)

Vissel Kobe

• Emperor's Cup: 2019 (Japanese Cup Winners)

Germany National Team

• FIFA World Cup: 2014 (World Champions); Third place: 2006, 2010
• UEFA European Championship: Runner-up 2008
• FIFA Confederations Cup Third place: 2005

Individual Awards

• 2.Bundesliga Top scorer: 2004–05
• FIFA World Cup Best Young Player: 2006
• Silbernes Lorbeerblatt: 2006, 2010, 2014 (Germany's highest sports award)
• Silver Shoe: Euro 2008 (Award for second-highest goal scorer)
• UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament: 2008
• kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2010–11
• Goal of the Year (Germany): 2017
• Ekstraklasa Top assists provider: 2022–23

Charity Work

Podolski with children from Arka Fundacja Dzieci in Warsaw, June 2015

Lukas Podolski started the Lukas Podolski Foundation for Sport and Education. This foundation helps children and young people who are not as lucky as others. It works to fight child poverty and help people feel included in society. It also promotes understanding between different countries.

He is also an ambassador for a charity called the Christian Children's Fund the Ark (Die Arche). One of his projects is a community day care center for children in a needy part of Praga-Północ in Warsaw, Poland. This center opened in 2014 and is run by Arka Fundacja Dzieci, supported by Podolski's foundation.

Personal Life

Lukas Podolski was born in Gliwice, Poland. His father, Waldemar Podolski, was also a footballer. His mother, Krystyna Podolska, played for the Polish national handball team.

In 1987, when Lukas was two years old, his family moved from Poland to West Germany. They were allowed to move because his grandparents had German citizenship before World War II. Podolski grew up near Cologne.

Podolski has dual citizenship, meaning he is a citizen of both Germany and Poland. He speaks Polish and sometimes used it to talk with his teammate Miroslav Klose during games. This helped them communicate without opponents understanding. Podolski is a fan of KS Górnik Zabrze, a football team close to where he was born.

In April 2011, Podolski married Monika Puchalska in Cologne, Germany. They had a church wedding in Poland in June 2011. They have a son, born in 2008, a daughter, born in 2016, and a third child. They live in Katowice, Poland.

Podolski also owns an ice cream shop and a kebab shop in Cologne.

In 2021, Podolski became a judge for the 15th season of Das Supertalent. This is the German version of the TV show Got Talent. He is the first football player to be a judge on any version of this show.

See also

In Spanish: Lukas Podolski para niños