Although Lukas Podolski declared many years ago that he wanted to end his career as a Górnik player, his adventure in Zabrze probably surprised everyone. Especially the length. While in the case of this type of return we can usually expect one or two seasons at most, Podolski is already spending his fourth season in the Ekstraklasa. Since the summer of 2021, the German has played 103 matches for Górnik, in which he scored 22 times and added 20 assists.
Podolski cares about Górnik not only on the pitch
In the current competition, Podolski may not be as effective, he has two goals and one assist, but his role is not limited only to the field. The German has done a lot to support the club over the years. It is an open secret that he helped with transfers, talked to sponsors, and fought with the former president of Zabrze, Małgorzata Szulik-Mańka, who was hated in Górnik. Recently, the Zabrze team started cooperation with the Japanese club Vissel Kobe, Podolski's former club, and no one hid the fact that it was largely thanks to him.
Is the end of your career knocking on the door? Podolski talks about it openly
However, it is possible that soon the German's role will be exclusively off-field. The 2014 world champion will turn 40 in June 2025. He still eats up the Ekstraklasa with his purely football skills, but he shows it less and less often. In a conversation with the club's media, Podolski did not hide that he was thinking about the end of his adventure with Górnik, and therefore with football in general. He has even indicated a potential last match.
– The season ends in May and for now it seems that this will be the end. I leave the path open for myself. I don't close that door completely. It may or may not happen, but as I stand here today, we will probably play at home against Korona Kielce in May and this may be my last match in Górnik – said Podolski, also adding that at the moment there are no plans for a farewell. match. Let us add that he played another one at the FC Koeln Podolski stadium in October.
Górnik actually plays the last match of the season against Korona at home on the weekend of May 24-25, 2025. After the autumn round, Zabrze is sixth in the table, five points behind the podium.