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Veteran Lukas Podolski last played minutes in the Ekstraklasa back in December of last year, coming on to try and help Gornik turn things around against Lechia Gdansk.
Since then, the former Germany legend and 2014 World Cup winner has been watching his teammates from the bench, always ready to support them. However, he still hasn’t made a decision about his future.
"We’ll see. I’ll turn 41 this year. I’m happy I can play for so long, because it’s not easy, but I can manage.
"As for what happens after the season, we’ll see. I’m not closing any doors. Maybe I’ll want to keep playing, maybe something will happen, or maybe not.
"Of course, I want to help the club keep moving forward. Also off the pitch, which I’m already getting involved in a bit. And when I finally stop playing football, there’ll be more time for other things," he remarked to Flashscore, considering his options.
Podolski officially became a co-owner of Gornik Zabrze in December 2025, acquiring 8.3% of the club’s shares through his company LP Holding GmbH. Now, as the club’s second-largest shareholder, he also looks at Gornik from this new perspective.
He’s pleased with the recent successes of the team led by Michal Gasparik, but when it comes to their title chances, he remains cautious.
"I don’t see us as favourites to win the Polish championship, because we don’t have the conditions for that. And we didn’t set ourselves the goal of fighting for the title before the season started. But of course - in sport, in football, anything is possible.
"We’ll fight and see where we are in May. And if we end up in sixth, seventh, or eighth place, that will still mean a good season for us.
"Considering the conditions we have, what’s happening around the club, the financial situation, and so on, I think what we’re doing at Gornik is quite a feat. I mean not just on the pitch, but also off it - transfers, marketing, stadium attendance, and so on."
As Podolski’s time with Gornik’s first team slowly comes to an end, his son Louis is knocking more and more confidently on the door of the senior squad...
The 17-year-old midfielder is doing very well with the U19 team, having scored four goals this season. His famous father admits he doesn’t put pressure on his son, but also suggests that Louis now has to take responsibility for his own choices.
"He’s got talent, but he has to find his own way. I remember when I was young, I did everything to become a footballer. He’s at an age now where he has to decide for himself if that’s what he wants.
"Maybe in six months he’ll say, 'Dad, I want to study', or maybe he’ll want to move somewhere else. It’s all up to him. He doesn’t have to be a footballer for me to be happy.
"For now, he’s playing, but we’ll see what path he chooses. I’ll support him, but he has to feel it himself. He has to invest in his career. If you love something and invest in it, you can always achieve something. We’ll see what decision he makes," Lukas concluded.
After 21 rounds, Gornik sit second in the table, just two points behind leaders Jagiellonia. For now, no one at the club is talking about the title, though dreams are surely starting to turn into realistic goals. Especially among the fans, who have been waiting for a 15th Polish championship since the 1987/88 season.
One more title would be enough to draw level with Legia Warsaw at the top of the all-time standings.