Podolski: Cologne has construction sites – staying in the league is now the goal!”

Podolski: Cologne has construction sites – staying in the league is now the goal!”

1. FC Köln has achieved promotion to the Bundesliga, and one person who is happy about this “great victory” is Lukas Podolski. The former national soccer player and 2014 world champion sees the club back “where it belongs.” Despite his expectations before the last game of the season against 1. FC Kaiserslautern, where he was not convinced of promotion, his joy became even greater when it finally worked. Podolski watched the decisive game in his stadium lounge, where the tension quickly gave way to a feeling of relief and joy as Cologne won the duel. Daily Mirror reports on the former player's audience in the city after the celebrations.

Podolski is currently commenting on the situation at 1. FC Köln. He sees less unrest and more construction sites that need to be closed. In view of the future challenges, the position of sports director is already being filled while the club is actively looking for coaches and board elections are imminent. Podolski also emphasizes the importance of squad planning in order to avoid spending the coming season in a relegation battle. His first goal for next season is to stay in the league, as he said in an interview with absolutfussball.com explained.

Personal experiences and future plans

In recent years, Podolski has not only focused on his role at Cologne. He remains active in football, including extending a contract with Gornik Zabrze. He doesn't want to regret not being on the pitch anymore and reflects positively on the decisions he made in his career. He also co-founded the Baller League, which he sees as an interesting alternative to traditional football. He plans to expand the league internationally, with targets in the UK and US.

Podolski also shows understanding for Florian Wirtz, who decided to leave the Bundesliga for the Premier League. He describes this league as a “top address” and compares his experiences in the Champions League with major tournaments such as the World Cup or European Championships. He remains loyal to football and prefers to enjoy the games on site with a snack of Lay's chips, as a brand ambassador for the chip brand in the current advertising campaign "No Lay's, No Game".

Finally, Podolski also reflects on his sporting experiences and the balance between family and sport: “I never needed a nutritionist or psychologist,” he says, and emphasizes that the connection between everyday life and career was always important to him. Whether he ultimately remains active in the sport or concentrates on his new projects remains to be seen as preparations for the new Bundesliga season are in full swing.