German football will be wishing its two star players Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas Podolski farewell from the international scene in a football game in their honour, according to the apex football body in Germany – the DFB.
Both players retired recently from international football, Schweinsteiger in July and Podolski this week. Schweinsteiger played for 12 years for Die Mannschaft, winning the World Cup in 2014 in Brazil and captaining the side to the Euro 2016 in France. The German national team coach Joachim Low said: “Bastian and Lukas have huge merits for the national team, the DFB, and Germany’s football in general. I know it means a lot to them to play one more time for Germany. This proves how much the team meant and still means to them.”
On the other hand, Podolski has 9 more games than Schweinsteiger to his belt with his 129 caps record that is the third highest in German football history. He made the announcement on Monday, adding that he wants to focus on other things in his life. Podolski scored 49 goals in his 12 year campaign for Germany, announcing his retirement via a Facebook post that reads:
“Before the season and international matches start again soon, I wanted to inform you something: I’ve told the national team coach (Joachim Low) that I will no longer be playing for the national team.
“I am going to cut down a bit and dedicate myself more to other things, in particular my family. I am sure they are not going to complain when I have more time for them in future, and I’m really looking forward to that.”
Podolski, 31, 129 caps record make him lag behind Lothar Matthaus and Miroslav Klose who are the record top two most capped German players. The former Bayern Munich and Arsenal player currently plays for Galatasaray, and might end his career there.