Any player whose presence at the first training session of a new season prompts a turn-out in excess of 20,000 fans is obviously a bit special. On 25 June 2009, Lukas Podolski ended a three-year absence from the RheinEnergie Stadium and reappeared in the colours of his beloved Cologne. An extraordinary wave of euphoria gripped the city: 'Prince Poldi' was back in his palace after a luckless three-year exile in Munich.
The left-footed forward could have had his pick of big-name clubs in Germany and elsewhere, but the call of home was the strongest of the lot. Podolski followed the call of his heart and returned to his footballing roots. He simply wanted to go home and open a new chapter in his life with partner Monika and their son Louis.
It has not been an easy transition for the man capped 70 times by Germany, but one thing is clear: the roguish grin is back on the player’s face, and there is a lightness and ease to his performances which was often lacking in Bayern colours. FIFA.com caught up with the 24-year-old to discuss the Bundesliga, Joachim Low and his country’s chances at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™.
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