I know I have a left foot that was probably gifted to me by God, or someone up there, and I can always rely on it.
— Lukas Podolski
It was tough for my family. My father was working; my mother was working. Sometimes I was alone at home after leaving school.
I have celebrated major successes with Germany on the pitch, but not only that, I have experienced so much off the pitch too, visiting countries and cities all over the world.
Arsenal is a very big team, and we want to win trophies.
When you are young and you play football, you must play in the street. When you go to a club at the age of five, and the coach says you must pass this, eat this, drink this... it's not a life. Young people must train for themselves, play football every day, and not have three coaches, with each one saying this and this.
You have a lot of pressure in football.
When you go to a club and always sit on the bench and look at the team, it is not easy.
When you come from Poland, you have nothing. Your mother and father are working. You have only a bed for sleep. You have a kitchen, and that's it. You must fight.
Going from a two-year-old Polish boy, who practically came to Germany with nothing more than a football under his arm, to a world champion - it's more than I could have ever imagined.
It's not easy in England. It's so competitive.
People in England have a lot of respect. It is relaxed here.
Cologne was my big team, my favourite team. I trained one week in Cologne, and they asked me to sign for Cologne. At 17 or 18, the coach asked me to go the first-team training ground. I was lucky to have that coach.
Every tournament and every international game played gives you additional experience which brings you forward, both on the pitch and off it, but there is nothing more special than playing a World Cup on home soil.
Saying goodbye is very emotional.
I like the Premier League; the style of play, I like it.
I had the pressure when I started my career at 18 at Cologne, when people were saying, 'Ah, Podolski, the new hero of Cologne.'
