Lukas Podolski has now been a German international for almost ten years. The 28-year-old made his debut in a 2-0 defeat by Hungary on 6 June 2004 before going on to win a host of games and fans over the ensuing decade. Podolski has now made 112 appearances for his country, making him the most experienced player in Die Mannschaft along with Miroslav Klose.
In DFB.de’s Interview of the Week, Podolski spoke with reporter Steffen Lüdeke about his decade as a German international, his commitment to social causes and Germany’s chances at this summer’s World Cup in Brazil.
DFB.de: Mr Podolski, after taking part in interviews at yesterday’s media day, you threw a journalist in the hotel pool. Was there a special story behind that?
Lukas Podolski: No, it was just something that happened. He was one of the last journalists standing there in his white shirt, right beside the pool. It was a perfect opportunity and, well, he got thrown in the water.
DFB.de: So you’re not worried he might get his revenge by criticising you in the press?
Podolski: It was all a bit of fun, and I know him well enough that I reckon he can cope with it. I’ve known him for a long time; it’s no problem.
DFB.de: You recently filmed a video for Arsenal that made fun of some of the comments said about you on social networks. Per Mertesacker proved emphatically that he can turn quicker than milk, and you showed that you’re quite capable of hitting a barn door.
Podolski: We didn’t do it to set an example or to have a go at anyone. We just wanted to respond in an ironic way. It was a fun thing to do, and the comments we’ve received about it show that it was very well received.
DFB.de: Your Facebook page has almost 4.5 million fans, and every day hundreds, almost thousands, of comments are made there. How many of them do you read?
Podolski: I’d have to spend almost all day every day at my laptop to get through all of them, but of course, I check in regularly to see what the fans write. Unfortunately, every now and again there are people who write much less intelligent posts about me, but 95 per cent of the comments are positive. The fans like reading all of my posts, and I’m glad they enjoy what I write there. I’m happy about every Facebook friend who follows me, and I try to keep all my fans up to date with all my latest news.
DFB.de: How much do you reveal about yourself on social media; that is, how much do you open yourself up to fans?
Podolski: I reveal quite a lot about Lukas Podolski the footballer, but I say very little about Lukas Podolski the person, at least not about me as a private individual. I’ve made sure of that ever since my career began. For me, it’s important to protect my private life. I’m not someone who flaunts his wife in front of the press, and my wife doesn’t seek to be famous. There are already enough people who want that kind of attention or think they need it. Everything I make public is about my life as a footballer.
DFB.de: You’re generally popular among the fans. It didn’t take long for you to become a firm favourite at Arsenal either.
Podolski: Everything fitted from the start. From my first day in London, I could feel the warmth of the Arsenal fans. I was also lucky that my open character went down well with the club’s supporters. I became close to the supporters with every game and every trip. Our away fans in particular are fantastic. I think they recognise that I’m someone who identifies with the team, the club and the fans. Interacting with supporters is very important to me, and at Arsenal they’re very much at the heart of the club.
DFB.de: You don’t only engage with fans, but also dedicate much of your time to social causes. After the season ended, you opened a new Arche (“The Ark”) children’s’ home in Warsaw. Why did you specifically choose to support Arche?
Podolski: I chose Arche because they help the people who are most important to me: children. I love kids, so I support children who need help. Arche provide more than material help. The kids get all the important things they need at the homes: good nutrition, great opportunities to play, and clothes. Above all, they receive love from the teachers at the centres, something many of them sadly don’t get at home. Now, with the help of my foundation, we’ve opened the first Arche home in Poland, the country where I was born. That was always my target and my dream, and I’m very proud that we managed to do it. The time and work we invested – myself included – has really paid off. The first hug from the kids made it all worthwhile. It was an absolute delight to see how happy the children were about it.
DFB.de: Turning to sporting matters, you played a match with the first team against the U-20s at the training camp in South Tyrol on Sunday. Two Cologne players, Yannick Gerhardt and Maxi Thiel, are in the U-20 squad. How do you rate their prospects?
Podolski: The match was definitely something special for both players, and for all the U-20 squad. The opportunity would certainly have meant a lot to me if I was in their position. Of course, I know both Yannick Gerhardt and Maxi Thiel, but I’m not in very close contact with them as we never played in the same team while I was at Cologne. That said, I think they’ve both got a lot of potential, and the same goes for other players at the club. If you watch Timo Horn, or Jonas Hector, they’re all good players, and many of the lads come from the local area. I think they’ve got a bright future ahead of them and can be part of the club for many years to come.
DFB.de: How pleased were you about Cologne’s promotion?
Podolski: I never doubted that FC could get promoted. It was clear that the only thing that could get in the team’s way was the team itself. Nevertheless, I was delighted when they were promoted as they finally have a chance to reach their full potential for the first time. Now Cologne have to prove themselves in the top flight. It’s time for the club to build a team that can establish itself in the Bundesliga in the long term.
DFB.de: Another team close to your heart were also promoted: FC Bergheim 2000.
Podolski: The team have now been promoted three or four times in a row. That’s a tough task no matter what the quality of the players. You don’t just click your fingers and find yourself a division higher. Hard work is the key to every success in amateur football too, particularly as the situation is not how many people portray it. I’m not the biggest investor there; I’m not pumping any money into the club. The only thing I do is help them establish contacts with sponsors with my name, but Bergheim are certainly very close to my heart. I know most of the lads there very well, and many of them are my friends.
DFB.de: What are your hopes for “your” club? Where can Bergheim go from here, and how will they do it?
Podolski: It’s all about the fun; it’s amateur football. Nobody in Bergheim is getting carried away dreaming about a 20,000-seater stadium and the Bundesliga. The focus is solely on the joy of football, and it should stay that way. I’m sure things will continue to develop little by little, but there’ll be no major pressure to do so.
DFB.de: You’re preparing for your seventh major tournament with the national team. How well can you remember the training camp before EURO 2004?
Podolski: I was named in the squad along with Bastian Schweinsteiger; both of us were travelling with the U-21s at the time. It was a very big deal for us. Rudi Völler said to us, “Come on lads, you’re coming with us.” It was one of the best moments of my life.
DFB.de: Back then, you were one of the youngest players in the squad; now you’re one of the oldest. You brought some audacity and humour into the team. What do you make of all the young players now? Is there a new Podolski among them?
Podolski: I don’t know about that; there’s no need for a new Podolski. I don’t like that role anyway – I’m not just the team joker. It wouldn’t be fair if I was reduced to that. Of course, fun is part of football for me, as well as part of my life outside football, but I don’t forget that the most important thing is the serious work we do on the pitch. And I don’t believe anyone who has watched training here can say that I give any less than my best out there.
DFB.de: As a young player, you were the challenger, then you were an established team member for a long time, and now there are players challenging you. How do you deal with competition within the squad?
Podolski: I like it and I’m very relaxed about it. We were always trying to establish a good youth system with talented young players, and I wanted that too. Now we have one, and it can only be a positive thing. I’m not worried about the competition. I’m here, I know what I can do and I believe in my strengths. The national team coach has always been able to count on me in the past, and he can continue to do so in the future.
DFB.de: Germany won their last World Cup title in 1990. You were five years old then – do you still remember anything about that time?
Podolski: Nothing in detail, but I still remember watching most of the matches at home on the television. I can’t remember the exact images anymore, but of course everyone was overjoyed at the time that Germany had become world champions.
DFB.de: How possible do you believe it is that Germany can win the 2014 FIFA World Cup?
Podolski: We have a chance. Nobody expected anything from Germany in 2002, and we almost pulled it off. We didn’t do much wrong in 2006 or 2010. We’ve come close a few times before, so why shouldn’t it work out this time? But there’s nothing easy about a tournament like this; it’s a matter of hard work from the first day of preparation, hopefully all the way to the final. We’re all aiming to play for the title. That’s our motivation and we’re giving it everything.
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Lukas Podolski has now been a German international for almost ten years. The 28-year-old made his debut in a 2-0 defeat by Hungary on 6 June 2004 before going on to win a host of games and fans over the ensuing decade. Podolski has now made 112 appearances for his country, making him the most experienced player in Die Mannschaft along with Miroslav Klose.
In DFB.de’s Interview of the Week, Podolski spoke with reporter Steffen Lüdeke about his decade as a German international, his commitment to social causes and Germany’s chances at this summer’s World Cup in Brazil.
DFB.de: Mr Podolski, after taking part in interviews at yesterday’s media day, you threw a journalist in the hotel pool. Was there a special story behind that?
Lukas Podolski: No, it was just something that happened. He was one of the last journalists standing there in his white shirt, right beside the pool. It was a perfect opportunity and, well, he got thrown in the water.
DFB.de: So you’re not worried he might get his revenge by criticising you in the press?
Podolski: It was all a bit of fun, and I know him well enough that I reckon he can cope with it. I’ve known him for a long time; it’s no problem.
DFB.de: You recently filmed a video for Arsenal that made fun of some of the comments said about you on social networks. Per Mertesacker proved emphatically that he can turn quicker than milk, and you showed that you’re quite capable of hitting a barn door.
Podolski: We didn’t do it to set an example or to have a go at anyone. We just wanted to respond in an ironic way. It was a fun thing to do, and the comments we’ve received about it show that it was very well received.
DFB.de: Your Facebook page has almost 4.5 million fans, and every day hundreds, almost thousands, of comments are made there. How many of them do you read?
Podolski: I’d have to spend almost all day every day at my laptop to get through all of them, but of course, I check in regularly to see what the fans write. Unfortunately, every now and again there are people who write much less intelligent posts about me, but 95 per cent of the comments are positive. The fans like reading all of my posts, and I’m glad they enjoy what I write there. I’m happy about every Facebook friend who follows me, and I try to keep all my fans up to date with all my latest news.
DFB.de: How much do you reveal about yourself on social media; that is, how much do you open yourself up to fans?
Podolski: I reveal quite a lot about Lukas Podolski the footballer, but I say very little about Lukas Podolski the person, at least not about me as a private individual. I’ve made sure of that ever since my career began. For me, it’s important to protect my private life. I’m not someone who flaunts his wife in front of the press, and my wife doesn’t seek to be famous. There are already enough people who want that kind of attention or think they need it. Everything I make public is about my life as a footballer.
DFB.de: You’re generally popular among the fans. It didn’t take long for you to become a firm favourite at Arsenal either.
Podolski: Everything fitted from the start. From my first day in London, I could feel the warmth of the Arsenal fans. I was also lucky that my open character went down well with the club’s supporters. I became close to the supporters with every game and every trip. Our away fans in particular are fantastic. I think they recognise that I’m someone who identifies with the team, the club and the fans. Interacting with supporters is very important to me, and at Arsenal they’re very much at the heart of the club.
DFB.de: You don’t only engage with fans, but also dedicate much of your time to social causes. After the season ended, you opened a new Arche (“The Ark”) children’s’ home in Warsaw. Why did you specifically choose to support Arche?
Podolski: I chose Arche because they help the people who are most important to me: children. I love kids, so I support children who need help. Arche provide more than material help. The kids get all the important things they need at the homes: good nutrition, great opportunities to play, and clothes. Above all, they receive love from the teachers at the centres, something many of them sadly don’t get at home. Now, with the help of my foundation, we’ve opened the first Arche home in Poland, the country where I was born. That was always my target and my dream, and I’m very proud that we managed to do it. The time and work we invested – myself included – has really paid off. The first hug from the kids made it all worthwhile. It was an absolute delight to see how happy the children were about it.
DFB.de: Turning to sporting matters, you played a match with the first team against the U-20s at the training camp in South Tyrol on Sunday. Two Cologne players, Yannick Gerhardt and Maxi Thiel, are in the U-20 squad. How do you rate their prospects?
Podolski: The match was definitely something special for both players, and for all the U-20 squad. The opportunity would certainly have meant a lot to me if I was in their position. Of course, I know both Yannick Gerhardt and Maxi Thiel, but I’m not in very close contact with them as we never played in the same team while I was at Cologne. That said, I think they’ve both got a lot of potential, and the same goes for other players at the club. If you watch Timo Horn, or Jonas Hector, they’re all good players, and many of the lads come from the local area. I think they’ve got a bright future ahead of them and can be part of the club for many years to come.
DFB.de: How pleased were you about Cologne’s promotion?
Podolski: I never doubted that FC could get promoted. It was clear that the only thing that could get in the team’s way was the team itself. Nevertheless, I was delighted when they were promoted as they finally have a chance to reach their full potential for the first time. Now Cologne have to prove themselves in the top flight. It’s time for the club to build a team that can establish itself in the Bundesliga in the long term.
DFB.de: Another team close to your heart were also promoted: FC Bergheim 2000.
Podolski: The team have now been promoted three or four times in a row. That’s a tough task no matter what the quality of the players. You don’t just click your fingers and find yourself a division higher. Hard work is the key to every success in amateur football too, particularly as the situation is not how many people portray it. I’m not the biggest investor there; I’m not pumping any money into the club. The only thing I do is help them establish contacts with sponsors with my name, but Bergheim are certainly very close to my heart. I know most of the lads there very well, and many of them are my friends.
DFB.de: What are your hopes for “your” club? Where can Bergheim go from here, and how will they do it?
Podolski: It’s all about the fun; it’s amateur football. Nobody in Bergheim is getting carried away dreaming about a 20,000-seater stadium and the Bundesliga. The focus is solely on the joy of football, and it should stay that way. I’m sure things will continue to develop little by little, but there’ll be no major pressure to do so.
DFB.de: You’re preparing for your seventh major tournament with the national team. How well can you remember the training camp before EURO 2004?
Podolski: I was named in the squad along with Bastian Schweinsteiger; both of us were travelling with the U-21s at the time. It was a very big deal for us. Rudi Völler said to us, “Come on lads, you’re coming with us.” It was one of the best moments of my life.
DFB.de: Back then, you were one of the youngest players in the squad; now you’re one of the oldest. You brought some audacity and humour into the team. What do you make of all the young players now? Is there a new Podolski among them?
Podolski: I don’t know about that; there’s no need for a new Podolski. I don’t like that role anyway – I’m not just the team joker. It wouldn’t be fair if I was reduced to that. Of course, fun is part of football for me, as well as part of my life outside football, but I don’t forget that the most important thing is the serious work we do on the pitch. And I don’t believe anyone who has watched training here can say that I give any less than my best out there.
[bild2]
DFB.de: As a young player, you were the challenger, then you were an established team member for a long time, and now there are players challenging you. How do you deal with competition within the squad?
Podolski: I like it and I’m very relaxed about it. We were always trying to establish a good youth system with talented young players, and I wanted that too. Now we have one, and it can only be a positive thing. I’m not worried about the competition. I’m here, I know what I can do and I believe in my strengths. The national team coach has always been able to count on me in the past, and he can continue to do so in the future.
DFB.de: Germany won their last World Cup title in 1990. You were five years old then – do you still remember anything about that time?
Podolski: Nothing in detail, but I still remember watching most of the matches at home on the television. I can’t remember the exact images anymore, but of course everyone was overjoyed at the time that Germany had become world champions.
DFB.de: How possible do you believe it is that Germany can win the 2014 FIFA World Cup?
Podolski: We have a chance. Nobody expected anything from Germany in 2002, and we almost pulled it off. We didn’t do much wrong in 2006 or 2010. We’ve come close a few times before, so why shouldn’t it work out this time? But there’s nothing easy about a tournament like this; it’s a matter of hard work from the first day of preparation, hopefully all the way to the final. We’re all aiming to play for the title. That’s our motivation and we’re giving it everything.
