1. FC Cologne
Podolski visits the billy goat home and meets Said El Mala
December 18, 2025 – 8:12 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
Lukas Podolski visited 1. FC Köln on Thursday. The 2014 world champion stopped by training and met Said El Mala for the first time.
When Said El Mala plays for the RheinEnergieStadion on Saturday 1. FC Cologne is in the starting line-up, the 19-year-old will be particularly eyed by a star guest in Müngersdorf: Lukas Podolski will be watching from his box in the east stand against Union Berlin in the last home game of the year.
The world star paid a visit to his favorite club on Thursday. Podolski stopped by Geißbockheim, without any professional background or appointment with those in charge. Górnik Zabrze, who is still a professional, just wanted to say hello to old acquaintances and friends and watch the FC professionals.
At the professionals’ secret training session in the Franz Kremer Stadium, Podolski met coach Lukas Kwasniok and left winger Jakub Kaminski, with whom the native Pole was able to speak Polish. The 40-year-old also met Said El Mala. This season, the 19-year-old is preparing to follow in the big footsteps of the Cologne prince.
Kwasniok spoke about the visit at the press conference afterwards: “It’s an open secret that we have an open relationship. We’re not friends, that would be saying too much, but it’s very nice to experience his relaxed nature in such conversations,” said the FC coach. “With Poldi it’s very relaxed. As if you were best buddies.”
Kwasniok and Podolski spoke about the 40-year-old’s plans, about the sporting status of the FC professionals and about the upcoming game against Union Berlin. Then Podolski will be in the stadium and hope for an FC victory. “The pressure will only be greater for us,” joked Kwasniok.