In addition to his career as a professional soccer player, Lukas Podolski has also been involved in other business ventures in the past, such as advertising and owning a kebab shop. Now the 40-year-old is becoming a soccer investor.
As Lukas Podolski and Gornik Zabrze announced on Monday, the 40-year-old has bought into the Polish first division club through his company LP Holding GmbH. According to the announcement, Podolski has acquired 104,611 registered shares in Gornik Zabrze SA, which corresponds to a total of 8.3 percent of the total share capital.
Podolski is now the second-largest shareholder in Gornik—and suddenly something of his own boss. Only the city of Zabrze owns more shares, but it has already initiated a privatization process. The move also makes Podolski his own boss, as he has been playing for the club since 2021. Since then, he has played 128 games for the club, scoring 25 goals and providing 22 assists—only 1. FC Köln has seen the 130-time German international play more often (181 appearances, 86 goals, 41 assists).
“My club, my home and my football family”
“Gornik Zabrze is my club, my home and my football family. I am delighted to take the next step and officially participate in Gornik’s future. I believe in this project and the people behind it. I want the club to continue to develop on a solid foundation—athletically, organizationally, and economically,” Podolski, whose contract expires in the summer, is quoted as saying in a club statement.
The club is delighted with the commitment of the professional, who was born in nearby Gliwice, Poland. “Lukas Podolski’s entry into the shareholder structure is the first formal step towards taking over the club and underlines his long-standing and sincere commitment to the development of Gornik.”
