"I love football. It’s hard to give up something I’ve been doing my whole life," he told Germany’s DPA news agency.
Born in Gliwice, southern Poland, Podolski left for Germany with his family at the age of two.
He began to play football at the age of six and joined 1. FC Köln at 10, where he would go on to become a star player.
Subsequently, he played for Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Inter Milan and Galatasaray, all the while earning 130 caps for the German national team and scoring 49 goals – the third-highest in German history, after Miroslav Klose and Gerd Müller.
He retired from international football in 2017, signing off with a winning goal in a friendly against England in Dortmund.
Podolski’s affection for Górnik Zabrze, the 14-time Polish champions, is long-standing.
Many doubted he would ever join the club, but in 2021 he made good on his promise.
He has now signed another contract with the club and says his contribution isn’t just on the pitch.
"I want to help build the club, on the field and beyond," he said. "I hope, we’ll see results in a few years."
He also hinted he may play fewer minutes next season.
Podolski’s involvement with Górnik goes beyond playing football. A company in which he is a shareholder helps finance the team, and he recently submitted one of two offers to buy the majority stake in the club from the Zabrze city council.
The sale is expected to conclude by mid-October.
Off the pitch, Podolski is an entrepreneur and philanthropist.
In May, he opened the first Polish branch of his fast-food chain in Zabrze – part of a network of around 60 restaurants, mostly in Germany. Hundreds of customers queued for the opening.
He also runs a foundation supporting children in Germany and Poland and recently gave away 1,000 match tickets in Gliwice, his hometown.
"It’s not just about money. Conversation matters. Not everyone’s doing well. I’m not someone who just shows up for a social media photo. If help is needed, I’m there," he said during a meeting with former inmates supported by the Pomost Foundation, which assists former prisoners in social readaptation.
Despite his global success, Podolski remains grounded. He has kept the apartment in Gliwice's Sośnica district where he once lived, and still feels nostalgic when he visits.
"When I step into the stairwell, I smell my childhood. That never leaves you," he said.
Now living in nearby Katowice, Podolski is watching his son Louis follow in his footsteps as a youth player for Górnik.
"Whatever job you do, you need passion. If you’re only half-hearted about it, it’s tough to succeed," he said.
(rt/gs)
Source: PAP