Lukas Podolski: “A little bit afraid” of the end of his career

But before the end of his career there is the farewell game in Cologne. Podolski wanted to say thank you, he said before the game.

Cologne – On Thursday, Lukas Podolski will say goodbye to the fans in Cologne with a “thank you game”, but the end of his career is still a long way away. “Of course there is day X when you say: ‘Well, now it’s time for work.’ I’m a bit scared,” said Podolski at ran.de: “I think it will be a challenge. Of course it will hurt at first.”

There is still no end in sight; his contract with Gornik Zabrze in Poland does not expire until the summer. Podolski justified the fact that he said goodbye to the fans of 1. FC Köln while his career was still ongoing with his own fitness.

“The Cologne region, the city, the club and the fans have given me so much push and support in my career, which is why a large part of my success belongs to the city and the fans,” said the 39-year-old before the game on Thursday evening (8:45 p.m./ProSieben and ran.de): “So I just wanted to come back to say thank you to everyone who accompanied me a little bit. And play this game where I’m still active and can still move around on the pitch.”

On Wednesday, FC announced that it was in talks with Podolski about a supporting role after the end of his career. These were “good and constructive,” said the 2014 world champion: “In the next few weeks and months I will be in intensive discussions with those responsible at FC to see exactly what my support could look like.”

Photo: © IMAGO/Tomasz Folta/SID/IMAGO/Tomasz Folta